Broken Mirrors
by Gothic-Romantic99
Summary: I used to be so beautiful," she said to herself. Talon is upset and Ferret is the only one there to cheer her up as she recollects the events that lead up to the moment she became Talon.
1. Burnt

Disclaimer: I do not own Static Shock.

--

Her feathered fist punched out the last of the mirrors. A tear fell along with every sliver of glass. She kicked the shards under the sofa.

She hated mirrors for the simple reason of hating her own imperfections. It pained her to stare at her own reflection, to be reminded of what that gas did to her face.

"I used to be so beautiful," she said to herself.

The flames flickered in the corner fireplace. She grabbed her white jacket and sat down in front of the warmth. The radio on the other side of the room, one of her few remaining possessions, spilled recent hits from the speakers.

Cinders from the fire spat out at her deformed feet.

She recently found in her pocket a hand-woven bracelet made of black, plastic wire. In the center of the bracelet sat four white, square beads with black letters that read: TESS.

She tossed the rubbish in the fireplace and watched it burn with anguish in her heart.

The brick oven in front of her erased evidence of her memories one day at a time. Since the meta-breed chose the current location for their hideout she found problems coping. Just last week she ripped and burned the picture of her and her ex-boyfriend. It caused too much pain for her to stare at the photograph of the smiling couple. Each day she would feed the flames another photograph or item that reminded her of her past.

No amount of pills or alcohol could rid her mind of the night after the Big Bang. Nor could she forget the days before the accident, the time when she was a simple, innocent teenager without a criminal record.


	2. That Fateful Night

Disclaimer: I do not own Static Shock.

Author's Note: This chapter is telling of Talon's past, the night of the Big Bang.

--

"I'm going over to Lisa's!" Teresa called about to leave the house.

"Be back by eleven!" her mother yelled from the kitchen.

"Alright!" Teresa called before shutting the door.

Teresa left the neighborhood and passed right by Lisa's apartment.

She headed down the streets of Dakota, not giving any acknowledgment to the men who whistled when she walked by.

She stopped a few blocks down at the red bench in front of the antique store. She sat down and opened her white purse. Her pink cell phone showed no record of any missed calls. Ten minutes passed and Teresa began to feel nervous.

"Boo!" a voice called from behind her as hands covered her eyes.

"That better be you, Jesse," Teresa said in a threatening tone.

"And what if I was some dangerous jerk?" Jesse teased back.

"I'd give you this," Teresa replied gently nudging her boyfriend in the ribs.

"How'd you escape?" Jesse asked sitting down beside Teresa.

"They think I'm at a friend's house studying for a math test."

"And yet you're here with me," Jesse replied jokingly. "You're such a rebel."

Teresa smiled remembering her mother's reminders on a daily basis to not be too serious with boys at her age, there were more important things such as school. Her grandmother never let her forget that being too serious with a boy, especially one she was not too fond of, would lead to straight to Hell. Being a young girl, Teresa did not heed their advice.

"What took you so long?" asked Teresa.

"Oh, just a little argument with my dad," Jesse explained.

Teresa could tell by the tone in his voice that Jesse did not want to continue on with that subject.

"Ready to go?" Jesse asked extending his arm.

Teresa locked arms with her man as he led her down the streets of downtown Dakota. They window-shopped at all the stores. Teresa gazed in at the local sweetshop, her mouth watering for the colorful, delectable goodies on the shelf.

"You want some candy?" Jesse offered.

"No, it'll make me fat," Teresa replied turning away from the sweet temptations.

"Girls and their weight," Jesse replied shaking his head.

She suddenly got a twisted feeling in her stomach.

"Something bothering you, Tess?" Jesse asked.

Teresa blinked and returned to reality.

"My family would flip if they knew I was out with you right now," she replied.

Jesse pulled Teresa in close. Teresa put her arms around his strong back and inhaled his cologne.

"Wanna' get some coffee?" he asked upon releasing her.

She nodded. He locked arms with her and petted her shoulder the two blocks down to the local coffee house. Jesse opened the door and allowed for Teresa to enter.

The air conditioning was a nice comfort to the summer heat. The room smelt of mocha and mint. A man in his early twenties with a blonde fauxhawk stood behind the counter serving another couple. Beside him stood an attractive woman fixing the treats. The store radio played a tune from Bright Eyes.

The two stood against the sky blue walls looking over the choices on the wall menu.

"What would you like?" Jesse asked.

"Something with chocolate," she answered.

"I'll surprise you," Jesse said before giving his attention to the cashier.

Teresa sat down in the wire chair at a two-person table. On the rack behind her sat rows of magazines.

She glanced over her shoulder to find her boyfriend giving their orders to the cashier. He handed the boy his credit card and turned his attention to the female server. She bent over to retrieve the pile of napkins that fell. Jesse's eyes slipped over to the woman's bottom releasing a sigh from Teresa.

Teresa drummed her lavender painted nails on the hard table surface. Jesse accepted the coffees from the woman. Teresa turned back around pretending not to see a thing.

She slightly smiled as Jesse brought the drinks to the table.

Teresa sipped her iced mocha with marshmallow fluff through the plastic, green straw. She kept her eyes on the table.

"Tess, something wrong?" Jesse asked gently stroking Teresa's hand.

Teresa shook her head.

"Come on, talk to me," he said playing with her fingers.

"I just feel like something is going to tear us apart," Teresa admitted.

"What?"

She shook her head again, "I don't know, just I feel it will happen soon."

Jesse grasped Teresa's hands and said to her face, "I never loved anyone like I love you. Nothing will tear us apart, I promise."

Teresa smiled. Jesse lifted Teresa's left hand up to his large lips and softly kissed her knuckles.

Teresa looked down at her cell phone and gasped.

"It's almost midnight, I have to go!" Teresa shouted. "If my mom calls Lisa's parents I'll be in so much trouble."

"I'll walk you," Jesse offered.

"No, my dad will shoot you if he sees you around me."

Teresa stormed out of the building with Jesse in pursuit.

"Tess, wait!" Jesse called.

Teresa turned around and stood with her purse under her arm.

"Goodnight," Jesse said kissing her forehead.

"I'll call you when I get home," Teresa said before running off.

"Be careful!" Jesse called and watched his girlfriend disappear down the dark streets.

Teresa darted across the streets keeping her eyes out for traffic. A city bus came speeding and nearly hit her while she ran down the crosswalk. The driver beeped at the frightened teen and took off.

Teresa thought it would be best if she stuck to the back roads for the remainder of her trip home.

She stayed in the path of streetlamps clutching a can of mace. Every sound from crickets chirping, to dogs barking, to car tires screeching from the nearby highway amplified in her ears.

Suddenly two helicopters flew over her head. She screamed and threw herself on the ground. Her weapon rolled down the ditch into a storm drain. Teresa picked herself up and brushed the dirt off her legs.

She began to whistle as she cautiously continued her walk home.

The sound of sirens filled the air nearby. Teresa decided it was best to just run home.

The sky seemed to get darker with every step she took. Teresa ran nearly seven blocks before her legs and lungs began to sting. She momentarily stopped by the docks to catch her breath.

A sweet chirping sound echoed from the right. Teresa looked up to find a canary tweeting. It flapped its wings and leapt from the branch to the fence surrounding the dock.

Teresa smiled at the calm animal and stepped forward to try and catch it.

Just as the bird flew away an explosion erupted from the docks. All Teresa saw was a cloud of pink gas rushing her way. The impact slung Teresa across the road. She landed on her right arm with her face in the grass. Her hair, pulled back in a ponytail, hung over her face. Teresa began to cough terribly. She put her left hand over her mouth to mask the fumes entry. She was unable to move her right arm to support and rise her body. The sky turned pink as Teresa's eyes went numb. Her brain went unconscious and her face fell back on the firm ground.


	3. The Next Morning

Author's Note: I don't know Ferret's real name but in at least three stories I have seen it listed as Luke so I'm going to go along with it.

--

Teresa woke up many hours later in an unfamiliar location. She promptly sat up on what she eventually discovered to be a pile of blankets. Her breathing skipped as her eyes darted around the strange borders.

She took a deep breath to calm herself down as she tried to remember the events of the previous night. All she could remember was spending the night out with Jesse and then seeing a bird on the walk home.

Her sweaty hair now hung messily over her face.

She raised her hands to her forehead to move away the damp strands only to receive an acute sting in her right elbow. With the tips of her fingers she applied pressure around the joint sending sharp aches through her arm with every touch. She placed her arm back down in her lap and glanced around the room taking in her temporary shelter.

Little light shone from a lamp sitting on a chipped, wooden desk. Two green, steel chairs sat in the distance with a wooden table, in poor condition, positioned in between. The floor desperately needed to be swept and the walls painted. The air was thick and humid accompanied by the smell of mold. There were no windows and the door stood slightly cracked.

Teresa's heart jumped at the sound of footsteps closing in.

The door creaked open with a shadow figure standing outside the doorway. Teresa held her breath until the stranger came into the light.

A boy about her age entered the room carrying a bowl of yellow liquid. He had shaggy brown hair and matching eyes, his skin appeared soft and tan. Teresa did not find his appearance attractive, but for some unexplained reason she felt safe in his presence.

He did not make eye contact with her as he walked towards the table.

"You're awake," he said placing the bowl on the table.

Teresa sat there staring and mildly shaking as the stranger came closer to her.

"How you feeling?" he asked kneeling down beside her.

Despite the state of the room the boy smelt nice.

Teresa groaned and touched her face. Her fingers felt an adhesive bandage located on both sides of her forehead.

"You were bleeding when I found you," the boy explained.

"What was it?" Teresa asked, tasting a fresh cut on her bottom lip.

"Don't know," he answered. "I was on my way back from a show and walked by during the explosion." He looked at Teresa's face, "Then I found you lying there."

Teresa tried to adjust to a more comfortable stance and pulled her arm in the process. The boy took notice of her wince.

"I think it's broken," Teresa said upon the stranger's touch.

The youth looked around the room and finally grabbed one of the small sheets from Teresa's bed.

"Put you arm against your chest," the boy instructed.

Teresa placed her injured arm in a comfortable position as the boy swiftly turned the sheet into a sling.

"Try not to move it," he ordered.

He held out his hand to ask for her healthy one. Teresa shyly accepted the guy's hand as he helped her stand. Teresa could not help but take in the black licorice scent secreting from the guy's neck. He led her over to the table and pulled a chair out for her. He aided her into the chair then sat down in the other chair across from her.

"I made you some soup," he said sliding the bowl in front of her.

Teresa suddenly remembered all the times as a child when her parents and teachers warned her to never take food from strangers.

"I'm Luke," the boy said extending his hand. "But my friends call me Ferret."

Teresa accepted the shake, "Teresa."

She suddenly felt a bit of worry for revealing her name so soon.

The boy smiled and from his teeth Teresa could see where he got the nickname.

Teresa picked up the spotted spoon, her face showing the disgust. Luckily for her, Ferret was looking away at the time. She dipped her spoon in the runny substance and brought it up to her lips, a task she found difficult with her left hand. Despite better judgment she sipped the liquid.

"You don't have to eat it if you don't like it," Ferret said noticing the wrinkle in Teresa's nose.

"What kind of soup is this?" she asked.

"Chicken broth," he replied.

Teresa's eyes squinted and her lips circled around.

"I know I'm not a very good cook, it came from a can," Ferret responded.

Teresa put the spoon back down on the table.

"No, I'm just not hungry," she lied.

"Well, I wouldn't be either if I woke up in some strange man's house," Ferret snickered.

Teresa looked down at her lap ashamed for not being a gracious guest.

Teresa put her hand in his.

"Thanks, it was a nice gesture," she said.

He smiled and folded his fingers around hers.

"Ouch!" Teresa cried.

"What?" Ferret shouted.

Teresa looked down at her index finger to find a small cut on the side.

"I'm so sorry," Ferret replied. He looked down at his own hand and gasped when he realized his nails had grown nearly an inch overnight. "That's weird."

"You should cut your nails," Teresa said using the napkin to wipe up the blood.

"I swear they weren't like that yesterday," Ferret said still studying the fingernails, only now they were shaped more like claws. He looked over at Teresa who was still dabbing at her cut. "Is it deep?"

"No, it just really hurts," she replied. "Like when a dog scratches you unexpectedly."

"Yeah, it seems that the smallest injuries, like paper cuts and needle pricks, are the ones that hurt the most."

Teresa laughed at her new friend's comment.

"You have a nice laugh," Ferret said staring into her eyes.

Teresa looked at the guy staring at her and began to shudder.

"I really should get home," Teresa said backing up the chair. "My parents are probably worried sick."

"Do you want me to walk with you?" Ferret asked.

Teresa smiled and struggled to lift herself from the chair with one arm. Ferret gently grabbed her body and helped her to stand.

"Thanks," Teresa said supporting her injury.

She looked up at the man standing six inches higher. She could never imagine having any romantic feelings for him, but something about him charmed her.

"Do you have a fever?" Ferret asked noting the red in her cheeks.

"Oh, I think I should walk home alone," Teresa replied.

"You sure, it's no problem," Ferret offered.

"Yeah, my dad goes nuts when he sees me being in the presence of boys," she said.

Ferret nodded in understanding.

She stepped outside the doorway, smiling at the friendly resident. As she walked down the hall, she suddenly felt like something was missing glanced over at her shoulder to find it bare.

Teresa ran back to the room to find Ferret stepping outside.

"Have you seen my…?" Teresa began.

"This?" Ferret asked handing her back her purse.

"Thanks," Teresa said opening her bag. She checked to make sure all the items were inside. Her cell phone showed five missed calls from her mother, two from Lisa, and seven from Jesse. She sighed and put the phone back in her purse.

"Thanks, Luke…uh, Ferret," Teresa said as he led her out of the building.

"Be careful," Ferret said waving her off.

Teresa felt better walking during the day. She guessed by the traffic and heat that it had to be at least noon. Just to be sure she checked her cell phone again to find out it was an hour later than she hoped.

There was not going to be any way to lie about the events that occurred. Her parents were not going to be happy to find out their daughter's true whereabouts the night before. Jesse would probably be angry to know she stayed the night at some strange boy's house, but there was nothing much she could do now.

"They'll have to forgive me," Teresa thought to herself. "I am only a fifteen-year old after all."

Her wrist began to itch. Teresa looked down to find what appeared to be thick, stiff, gold hairs sprouting out of her follicles.


	4. Remember

The flames devoured the plastic memories of Jesse. A tear fell from Talon's eye as her past melted before her.

Lost in her gloom she did not hear the soft knock at the door. Her tired mind replayed those last memories over and over. Her heart enjoyed tormenting her. Her mind returned to reality and her eyes turned in the direction of the noise upon the second knock. She closed her eyes and returned her vision to the flames.

The doorknob slowly turned as the visitor entered without permission. Talon huffed wishing whoever entered her chamber would just let her alone.

"Talon," a calm voice called.

There was no need for Talon to look, the unique voice identified the boy. She could imagine him standing there with a concerned look upon his face. Talon found herself undeserving of such a good friend.

The lanky figure stood in the doorway holding two pieces of burnt toast on a gray, plaster plate.

"Talon," he repeated stepping into the room.

Talon hunched over, holding her knees.

"I thought you might be hungry," Ferret offered.

Talon kept her attention on the fireplace. Ferret watched Talon's chest rise and fall. She kept a stoic appearance, but Ferret knew the second he left she would resort to tears. She did not know of all the times he saw her cry. Ferret saw the fragments of what used to be a mirror laying a little while away from Talon. The light flickering from inside the brick formation displayed the amount of agony behind Talon's brown eyes. It pulled at his heart to have to see her in such a state. Hotstreak said she needed some kind of exhilaration and Ferret began to believe the firestarter's words.

"Come on, Talon, you haven't eaten in two days," pleaded Ferret. "You don't have to eat it all, just a few bites."

Talon gave no response to Ferret.

"Well, I'll leave it here," Ferret said placing the plate on the stool near the door. Talon gave a sigh of irritation, keeping her eyes on the burning bracelet. Ferret turned hoping to catch a glimpse of Teresa's changed mood. He was not granted that luxury.

"I see you want to be alone," Ferret said turning to leave. "Try to make time to eat, okay."

"Ferret," Talon said sadly.

Ferret placed his hand on the doorframe and turned his face towards the woman. Her lips spoke not another word as she sat motionless on the floor.

"Did you say something?" Ferret asked.

Not receiving any reply from the other meta-human he turned to make his leave again.

"Ferret, don't leave," spoke Talon.

Ferret hesitated for a few seconds then slowly made his way over to his team member. He stood behind her watching her erase any evidence of emotion. Talon kept her eyes on the orange sparks inside the brick box.

Talon stretched out her legs, not caring about the countless wrinkles on her jeans, and tilted her head to the side. The hair hanging from her ponytail gently swayed against her shoulder. Her extra long lashes brushed up against the tip of her cheeks. Salty liquid leaked down against her nose. Talon's slim fingers caught the tear before it had a chance to settle.

Ferret trembled slightly then sat down crossed-legged beside Talon. He placed his folded hands in the center of his lap and focused his eyes on her face. It had been a while since Ferret last witnessed one of Talon's breakdowns. She punched out every mirror in the store before making her leave. She then tore through the calendar store defacing every piece of merchandise that consisted of a beautiful woman smiling. Talon escaped the mall before anyone had a chance to question her. The memories of that day repeated in Ferret's mind.

Ferret made a sudden shift. She released a sigh upon his move.

"Ferret, do you remember the first time I met you?" Talon asked not making eye contact.

Ferret nodded, "Strange circumstances."

Talon leaned backwards on her hands. She had been gradually losing weight since the moment she became a bang baby. Ferret and the others worried the woman would soon waste away.

"Do you remember much from that day?" she asked.

"Not everything, but a good deal. Why?"

"What about your memory of me?" she said glancing over at him for a second then turning away.

"From _that _day?" Ferret asked.

Talon nodded.

"Your arm was hurt," Ferret mentioned. "Was it broken?"

"No, just a bruised elbow and a sprained shoulder," Talon replied. "What else?"

"Well," Ferret said trying to think back to that day. "You forgot your pocketbook and you didn't like my cooking."

A half smile flashed briefly over Talon's face.

"You still don't like my cooking," Ferret said. "Why?"

"You're a horrible cook," Talon answered bluntly.

"No, I mean why did you ask me about this now?" Ferret clarified.

Talon shrugged and said, "Just thinking." She pulled her legs back up to her body. "Do you remember how I looked?"

Ferret shook his head and replied, "Hurt. You were bleeding. A little dirty, but that was…"

"I don't mean that," Talon interrupted.

Ferret's eyes widened then he apologized. Talon denied his need for being sorry then apologized for being short with him. With those words she returned to moping. Ferret hoped someday soon he would be blessed to see Talon's smile again.

Ferret twitched and decided to say what was on everyone's mind. "Talon, we've been concerned about you."

Talon stared hard at her friend, not knowing what to say.

"You've been locked in here for nearly a week and you rarely smile anymore," Ferret continued.

Talon turned away, she could not bear to look into his sympathetic eyes another second.

"Don't worry about me," she said looking at the beige carpeted floor.

"But we _are _worried," Ferret protested. "Me, Aqua-Maria, Kangor, Ebon, and especially Hotstreak and Shiv."

A smile barely emerged from Talon's lips at the mention of those two names.

She closed her eyes and emotions as she said, "I'm just a burden, you should all just leave me be."

"But we're your friends," Ferret replied. "We're going to care."

"Why?" Talon asked glaring at Ferret. "Why do you even care for me?"

"You're my friend," Ferret replied with wide eyes. "It's what friends do."

He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Talon shook him off and scooted away. Ferret recoiled in terror at the sight of Talon squirming to the other side of the room. Her skin had lost its usual glow.

"I don't deserve friends," mumbled Talon.

"Pardon?" asked Ferret.

Talon shook her head.

Ferret gently stroked her hand with his index finger. Talon jerked her hand away and placed it in her lap.

"Talon, we all know that something is bothering you," Ferret said. "Why don't you tell me?"

He placed his hand on the one resting on her lap. She looked over at his large, brown eyes and felt another shiver. It had been so long since she trusted someone enough to reveal her deepest feelings. She knew she had to be strong for the Meta-Breed. She had forgotten how young she truly was and instead of safely residing in a house with her loving family she sought shelter in a run-down building with people she hoped were her friends. More than anything they were common allies with a similar purpose. Still something in Ferret's voice offered comfort.

"You can trust me," Ferret said kindly. "I'm your friend."

Talon sighed and looked away from her friend.

"Talon," Ferret said lifting her face. She refused to look him in the eyes. "Talon," he said again in a calm voice. Talon's eyes moved into focus upon him. His touch and eyes both felt warm and inviting to her chilled skin.

"I wish you never saw me that day," Talon spoke holding back forming tears.

Ferret sat there speechless, not knowing how to react to her comment.

"I don't mean that because of you," Talon clarified. "I just wish you would have never saw me before the Big Bang."

"Talon," Ferret said softly.

"You're the only one who knows how I used to look," Talon said swallowing spit accumulating in her throat.

Ferret placed his hands on Talon's shaking arms.

"Before I became this monster!" she yelled throwing him off of her and turning away in tears.

"Talon," Ferret said wrapping his arms around his weeping friend.

She buried her head in his scrawny chest as his arms held her close. Ferret petted her hair and placed his chin atop her head. She wiped her eyes and nose on his shirt.

"Why did this have to happen to me?" she asked in a sob. "I was happy and beautiful, I had average grades and loads of friends, and in a relationship with a great guy. Now I'm another freak who everyone despises."

Ferret silently held her close as she spilled out her sorrow.


	5. Return

Teresa quietly unlocked the room and entered closing the squeaky door behind her. The living room appeared dark, meaning she had to hurry to her own room before anyone else showed up.

"Teresa," a voice wept behind her.

Teresa froze and slowly turned around to face the frowns of her mother, grandmother, older sister, Carla, and aunt, Anita.

"Teresa, where have you been?" her grandmother cried running to embrace her.

"You better have a good reason too," her mother barked.

Teresa accepted the hug and silently said, "There was an accident but I'm…"

"Accident, what kind of accident?" her mother cried.

Teresa waited until the hug fest ended before she continued.

"Did you not make it to Lisa's?" Carla asked.

Teresa shook her head.

"You weren't abducted, were you?" her mother asked.

"No!" Teresa yelled.

The women waited with wide eyes and parted lips.

Teresa tugged at her hair. Her forehead wrinkled as her fingers twisted the stiffened strands in a circular motion.

"Teresa," her mother repeated in a soft voice.

"I was out with Jesse," Teresa admitted without making contact with a one of them.

There was a collection of gasps.

"You were out with that hoodlum?" her mother hissed.

"He's not a bad guy, I don't see…" Teresa began.

Her mother interrupted, "He causes you to run off and lie to your parents."

"And stay out all night," her grandmother added.

"No, I wasn't with Jesse last night," Teresa retorted.

"What about this accident?" Anita asked.

The crowd hushed as Teresa took a deep breath.

"I was coming home when the docks…" Teresa began.

"Oh Lord, she was at the docks!" her grandmother gasped.

"Oh, thank God you're okay," her mother said grasping her daughter. "I heard on the news what happened there and assumed the worst."

"My arm!" Teresa shouted and her mother released her. Her family members all bombarded her with questions about the injury.

"I got hurt during the explosion," Teresa explained. She glanced down at the handmade sling and smiled. "Then Luke took care of me."

"This Luke a doctor?" her mother inquired.

"No, a friend," Teresa replied.

"So you were with a boy after all," her grandmother asked.

"It wasn't planned," Teresa responded. "He found me…"

"And didn't take you to a doctor?" Anita shrieked.

"No, he took care of me."

"Well, I like this Luke much better than Jesse already," her grandmother replied.

Teresa wrinkled her nose.

"She don't like him," Carla snickered.

"I just met him," Teresa argued.

"Enough," her mother ordered. "All that matters is you're back." She looked over at her sister and said, "Anita, call the police and inform them Teresa returned."

"You sent a search party?" Teresa asked.

"I don't trust this city," her mother replied. "If not for your father's job we'd be out of here a long time ago."

"I'm kind of tired," Teresa said turning away from the family.

"Okay," her mother said. "I'm gonna set you up a doctor's appointment for later."

Teresa nodded with a yawn.

She returned to the familiar walls she shared with Carla. Teresa fell face-first into her the purple, silk linens. Her head snuggled up with the soft cotton pillow of a lavender shade. In no time her eyelids gave up the battle sending her into a deep slumber.

Teresa woke three hours later to find dusk falling. She stretched her good arm and looked over at her sister who was sitting at her desk with her nose buried in Jane Austin's _Sense and Sensibility_. Teresa winced from slightly pulling her sore arm.

"You're seeing the doctor tomorrow," Carla said without looking up from her book.

Teresa nodded tilting her hair to the side. She liked to feel the ends of her healthy hair brushing her shoulders. The ends kissed her smooth skin, but something struck her as odd. She grabbed her hair and squeezed the stiff strands.

"Tell me more about this Luke," Carla said placing the book on her jeaned lap.

"What about him?" Teresa asked in a monotone voice while grasping her arm.

"What's he like?"

Teresa tossed her head to the side and stared up at the bare ceiling.

"He's not very attractive," Teresa said returning her eyes to her sister. "He can't cook either."

"But you like him?"

"He's a nice guy. A real gentleman."

Carla shut her eyes and giggled.

Before Teresa could respond she felt a heat forming in her cheeks. Her memory replayed that boy's smell giving her a craving for the fine candy.

Her back shivered tossing her hair around.

Teresa rose from her sloppy bed and headed for the door.

"Where you going?" Carla asked holding the book from the center.

"Shower," Teresa answered. "My hair needs washing."

Carla shook her head and returned her oak eyes to the pages.

A half hour later Teresa returned to her bedroom with a pink towel concealing her hair, pulled on top of her head. Her sister occupied herself with the house telephone, speaking in Spanish to her boyfriend, Miguel.

Everyone in the family respected him, an engineering major in the top of his class with a minor in mathematics. Her grandmother complimented Carla daily for finding such an astonishing catch. Teresa proved to be the only member of her family to find contempt for him.

----

He came down last weekend for a family picnic. Every member rejoiced at the meeting of the great Miguel in person. He spoke in a proper manner, addressing everyone by a respectful title. He laughed at Anita's husbands horrible jokes and told a few jokes of his own that sent everyone hurling into laughter; even Teresa managed to crack a smile at a few. He brought a potato dish that everyone automatically found scrumptious. He told of the misadventures he had traveling the mountains over Spring break, keeping everyone on the edge of their seats. When asked about Carla, Miguel's only response was he found the woman of his dreams.

While helping clean up her mother asked, "Isn't Miguel just perfect?"

"Not really," Teresa answered packing up the plastic dishes.

"Come on, he's great for your sister."

"He's too saintly," Teresa replied not making eye contact.

"I wish you'd meet a man of his quality."

Teresa slammed the plate in the basket and whipped around, "Mother! Jesse is just fine!"

"Jesse's too immature, you need a Miguel of your own."

"Anything I can help you with, Ma'am?" Miguel asked.

"No thank you, son, we got it here," Teresa's mother replied in her polite voice that Teresa rarely heard directed at her.

"Well if you need me just say so," Miguel said before turning to Teresa. "Great to finally meet you, little Teresa." With those words Miguel patted Teresa's head. Teresa huffed as Miguel joined up with Carla, kissing her cheek softly.

---

Carla made kissing noises into the phone followed by the sound of her angelic chords.

Teresa sat down in her bed staring at her hands. They itched more than usual, even worse than on the Winter's most frigid of nights. Her fingers ran over the thick hairs forming underneath her skin.

"Bye-bye," Carla said giving Miguel one final kiss.

She hung up the phone and stared over at her sister.

"Is it wrong to shave your hands this young?" Teresa asked.

Carla took hold of Teresa's wrist and examined the top of her arm.

"Wow, that looks weird," Carla said stroking the feathery hairs. "You should ask the doctor about that."

Teresa pulled her hand away.

"I just want to go to bed right now," Teresa said laying her head on the soft pillow.

"Teresa," Carla said. Teresa's eyes followed Carla's voice. "Do you think an early marriage will affect my chances of getting into grad school?"

Teresa shrugged with her good shoulder.

"It won't be long until he asks," Carla said sitting down on her own bed.

"You've been saying that for months," Teresa reminded her.

"But this time feels different."

Teresa sank lower into the bed.

"See if you get in before marrying him," Teresa said as her eyes began to close.

"He wants to get married soon."

Although not yet in sleep, Teresa could not manage to respond to Carla's last sentence. Carla smiled at her sister before leaving the room.


	6. Changes

Thank you PokeLucario, Nightcrawlerlover, and Hirotamoy for reviewing the last chapter!

Hirotamoy, to answer your question, Ferret is in 3 episodes:

1) "Static Shaq," the one with Shaquille O'Neal

2) "The Big Leagues," the one with the Joker

3) "Power Outage," the final episode

* * *

The doctor applied a stronger sling to Teresa's arm. In the course of their twelve minute session she made sure to tell her near to twenty times how lucky she was and that she should've sought medical attention immediately. She turned away from Teresa, looking down at the charts. Teresa kicked her dangling feet, her hands sliding over the tissue paper.

"What were you doing out last night anyway?" Dr. Border asked writing something on the green paper.

"I told you I was with my boyfriend," Teresa grumbled.

"But that's not why you were at the docks."

"No, I was walking home."

"You shouldn't have been out that late. Not safe for a girl your age."

Teresa gave an irate sigh.

Dr. Border closed the pen and put her hand on her hip. "Be glad someone's looking out for you, child, the worst could've happened to you."

Teresa gave a large, fake smile then stuck out her tongue when the doctor turned away. She put her working arm on her hip and sighed to herself trying not to imagine what could have happened if Luke did not rush to her rescue. She smiled thinking of Luke's reaction to seeing a beautiful, helpless damsel in need of a hero. She then giggled trying to picture Luke's scrawny body attempting to carry her to his one-bedroom apartment a while down from the docks.

Dr. Border washed her hands then returned to Teresa.

"Let's take a look at your hands," she said.

Teresa lifted her hand to show her the forming hairs on her palm. They had already increased twofold in length and thickness since the night as well as spread to her wrists. Also her eyes were wider and her nails longer and curvy. Dr. Border touched the hairs and pushed them aside to see the skin beneath. Teresa bit the side of her mouth as the doctor investigated it further.

"This is strange," Dr. Border said. "It's near impossible for anyone to have hair on their palms. Especially a female your age."

"Well what is it?" Teresa asked not trying to sound worried.

"I'm not sure," Dr. Border replied. Teresa's eyes followed as she picked up a pair of tweezers and a little vial out of the drawer. She returned to the patient, the smell of illness seeping from her coat. "This'll hurt a bit," she said and pulled a few of the hairs out of Teresa's hand. Teresa winced but made sure not to make a noise. She placed the hairs in the vial then put it in a tray complete with Teresa's first and last name. Before putting it down, Dr. Border took a closer at the contents inside. From where the light was shinning, the longest one resembled a feather.

Teresa hopped down from the table. She walked to the door, rubbing her itching forearm against her leg. Before she could reach for the door handle, Dr. Border blocked her way with her arm.

"Are you sure there's nothing else you wish to tell me about either of these boys?" the doctor asked.

Teresa widened her eyes and shook her head.

"Just be safe when it comes to males," she said.

Teresa gave a false smile and nod before leaving the room.

Dr. Border followed her patient down the hallway to the waiting room where Teresa's mother awaited.

"Dr. Border, is everything alright?" she asked.

Dr. Border nodded and pulled her aside "Teresa's arm should be alright. It's not broken. Just keep her elbow iced and shoulder from moving. It should be healed within two weeks." She cleared her throat and said, "As for the strange hairs on her arm. I'm going to send them to the lab and will notify you as soon as they have an answer."

"Thank you, Doctor," she said. She turned towards her daughter and said, "Go wait in the car while I pay this bill."

Teresa nodded and dawdled through the building and the parking lot. The air was warm, but the sky black, looking like it would storm any second. Cars passed by on the highway branching off from the doctor's office parking lot. The buildings on the other side stood tall, the windows shinning in what bit of the sun could be seen. People walked on the pavement, minding their own business, not one reacting to the incident that happened the night before. If not for the recurring pain in her arm, Teresa would've forgotten it all herself.

She eventually reached the small, silver car and climbed in the passenger seat. She leaned her head against the door and stroked her sweating hairs. Teresa glanced over at the strange items growing out of her skin. She began to pluck them one at a time.

"Teresa, stop that!" her mother yelled as she entered the car.

"They're just hairs," Teresa replied. "Probably caused from that gas."

"Still, I'd rather you leave them alone until we know for a fact."

"But they're hideous," Teresa groaned.

"No one will care."

Teresa crossed her free arm and pouted. Her mother ordered her to put on her seatbelt. Teresa huffed and obeyed, returning her attention to the window. Her mother drove away.

Teresa kept her eyes on the trees across the way. She could see a faded version of her reflection in the car window. She began to wonder if anything strange had happened to Luke since the previous day. Luke's smiling face entered her thoughts. Dr. Border seemed to take a particular interest in him. She was probably telling another doctor over coffee about her flirtatious patient who currently is playing two innocent boys' hearts. Teresa laughed at her own thought. She felt a little regret for not getting Luke's phone number. Both she and her family wanted to immensely thank him for all his help. And her grandmother wanted to meet him, Teresa understanding her underlying intentions being to set the two of them up.

Suddenly she remembered Luke's bafflement at the length of his nails. Teresa concentrated on her fingernails to find them protruding beyond what she originally had painted. She scolded herself for leaving the house without fixing up her nails.

They arrived home, neither one saying a word to the other.

Teresa went to her room to find Carla chatting on the phone with Miguel. Teresa looked at her own phone to find a missed call from Lisa and a text message from her cousin. She placed it down on the nightstand and picked up a teen magazine laying at the edge. She browsed through the selection of the season's current jewelry trend, angry that she lacked the hand movement necessary to circle the items she coveted.

That night she barely ate anything. She twirled her food on her fork then scraped it against the plate, as well as pushing the vegetables around. She excused herself early from the table feeling a tight pain in the back of her head.

An hour later Teresa stood in front of the mirror wearing a white tank top and matching shorts. Her skin appeared to be golden in the light. She rubbed her eyes and headed back to her room. Her mother told her she would have to go back to school in the morning to prevent from getting further behind in her studies.

Teresa picked up her phone and held it against her ear while trying to keep herself, especially her arm, comfortable on her bed. She dialed Jesse's number and waited for it to pick up.

"Tess, babe, you okay?" Jesse asked in a panicked tone upon answering.

"I'm fine, sweets," Teresa replied. "Just a sore arm is all."

"I'm glad."

There was a long silence on both ends.

"Is everything alright?" Jesse finally asked.

Teresa smiled, "I just got that feeling again."

"Don't say that, Tess," Jesse said. "Last time you got that feeling you almost died."

Teresa giggled, "It's not that serious."

"I heard what happened at the docks," Jesse shrieked. "Seven people have died. Many more arrived at the hospital. That gas messed them up big time."

Teresa bit her lip, looking down at the unidentified substance growing inside her.

"Look, everything's going to be fine. I love you," Jesse said.

"Love you too, Jesse," Teresa said back.

Teresa dropped the subject and in turn decided to talk about something lighter. She and Jesse talked for about an hour when Carla entered the room mocking kissing sounds to Teresa. Teresa groaned for not having the use of an extra arm to throw a pillow at her.

_Just two more weeks._

"It's bedtime," Carla said snuggling in her own bed.

"I have to go now, Jess," Teresa said.

Jesse said good-bye and waited for her to hang up.

"Aww, Jess and Tess, how cute," Carla giggled.

"Quiet!" Teresa hissed, heading for the bathroom.

Carla shook her head while laughing. She put her head on the pillow and shut her eyes.

Not much longer after that Teresa fell asleep. The morning soon came when Carla shook Teresa to wake her for school before leaving for the university.

Teresa yawned then fell back asleep for another ten minutes. She finally woke and went to the bathroom.

She spent twenty minutes in there before looking in the mirror. Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped, unable to speak. Her nails were nearly as long as her fingers and once luscious eyelashes were now replaced with a very few, stiff ones. Her face was smashed in resembling a bird. The hair on the top and front of her head had fallen out, leaving what resembled a ponytail in the back. Her lips trembled upon seeing the golden feathers sprouting from her skin. She screamed, grasping onto the doorframe.

She heard her mother and father calling her name. Teresa continued to scream, scratching where her hair used to be. Her mouth widened and a purple, spiral light shot out, crashing into the ceiling.

Her mother's footsteps pounded down the hallway, "Teresa, what's…?"

They stared at each other in silence. The ceiling overhanging the bathroom smashed to the floor.


	7. Car Accident

Disclaimer: I do not own Static Shock.

Thank you Paige and Snarky Beth for your kind review of the last chapter!

Author's Notes:

1) I'm sorry this chapter is so short, I wasn't exactly sure how I wanted it to go after the surprise at the end of chapter six, and I'm still working on the direction. This is sort of a segwey into the next chapter which will hopefully be up shortly.

2) I just realized that throughout the whole story I have yet to give Teresa's mother a name, so she finally gets one in this chapter. I also couldn't find any information on Teresa's last name, so I just made one up. I don't think I'm going to give her father a first name since he won't be in many more chapters after this one.

Anyway, hope you enjoy!

* * *

Teresa's parents stared with gaping mouths as their daughter stood before them unable to speak. The ceiling crashed down towards her. Teresa's father reached for his daughter and moved her out of the way of falling debris. A large tile dangling above his head snapped and plummeted. Teresa's arm broke free from the device meant to restrain it and slashed the tile into dust.

Teresa lowered her hands and stared at the claws that replaced her once perfectly groomed fingernails. The golden feathers began at her elbow and swayed up past her wrist. They were short and resembled that of a canary.

"Honey, what's wrong with our daughter?" Teresa's mother asked shaking her head.

He shook his head unable to come up with an answer.

The teen took another glance at her reflection in the mirror. She covered her lips with her hand. There was no way the monster staring back from the glass could be her.

"What's wrong with my face?" Teresa shrieked. She looked at her parents, her wide eyes broadening. Her screams switched into tears. "What's wrong with my face?" She knelt down on the bathroom floor, filthy with pieces of what used to be the ceiling.

"Sara, we should get her to a doctor," Teresa's father said silently.

The woman lowered herself to the floor and wrapped her arms around her sobbing daughter. Teresa leaned her disfigured face into her mother's chest. She placed her arms around her back, careful not to lot her nails slice the skin.

"Come on," Sara whispered while petting Teresa's back. "Maybe the doctor will have some news on how to cure this."

Teresa looked up and nodded. Her mother helped her to her feet.

The three piled into the car, Teresa taking the seat in the back, and hurried off to the hospital.

Sara held the cell phone to her ear with Teresa's school on the line.

After three rings the secretary answered in a chipper voice, "Dakota High, Christy speaking."

"Good morning, Christy," Sara answered trying not to sound panicked. "This is Sara Maraz, Teresa Maraz's mother."

"Oh, hello, Sara!" Christy crooned, having known Sara from the PTA meetings and church.

"Christy, Teresa's seriously ill this morning, she won't be coming in today."

"Oh, I hope she'll be okay. What's wrong?"

"We don't know." Sara stopped to swallow a sob forming in her throat. "We're on our way to find out."

"Well, I hope the best for her."

"Thanks, Christy."

"No problem, hon."

They said a short farewell and Sara hung up the phone.

"It's going to be okay, Teresa," Sara said looking back with a pitiful expression.

Teresa nodded without ceasing the tears.

Her father suddenly swore and swerved to miss a truck flying into his lane. The car behind him smashed into the rear opposite side of Teresa. Teresa screamed as the windshield shattered around her.

"Teresa!" Sara shouted. "Are you okay? Are you cut?"

"I-I-I don't know," Teresa stammered. She checked her head for blood but found none. "I think so."

"Is everyone okay?" her father asked.

Sara and Teresa looked at one another and nodded.

The surrounding cars continued to pile up and smash. The sounds of distorted alarms filled the area.

"What's going on?" Mr. Maraz asked.

He looked at his wife who replied with a nod. She unfastened her seatbelt and ordered Teresa to stay in the car while she and her husband stepped out. The two of them surveyed the twenty car accident. Smoke filled the sky and glass lined the road. A tire rolled down the street. Several cars at the start of the accident were on fire, including the truck that ran into the Maraz car. People were standing all around yelling and crying. One woman shouted out to the crowd, calling for a doctor. The back, right door of her car smashed in, along with the front seat, trapping her four-year old son inside.

"Please, anyone!" she cried. "A doctor, nurse! Someone strong enough to yank off the door!" She gripped her hair as tears poured down her face.

Several bulky men ran to her side. The three of them each attempted to pull the door off, not one successful. The woman fell to her knees, weeping in her hands.

Teresa watched the scene from the absent windshield. She looked down at her deformed hands and remembered what she did to the tiles not too long ago.

"That poor woman," Sara said leaning on her husband.

Teresa sighed and threw off her seatbelt. She slung open the car door.

"Teresa, what...?" her mother began.

"I think I can help her," Teresa called back while running over to the woman.

Several people gasped and shrieked as Teresa came into their view. Many of them backed away not caring to hide the panic in their faces. The young bang baby kept from making eye contact with any of the strangers staring at her.

"It's one of them," someone whispered.

"Is she a friend of his?" another asked in a hushed voice.

Teresa tried her best to ignore the muttered words meant for her.

"Let me try," Teresa said pushing her way through the crowd. She gave a look of sorrow to the woman then changed her direction for the totalled automobile.

The mother glanced up and began to shake upon seeing the freak heading for her car.

"No, I don't want you to touch him!" she shouted.

"But I think I can get him out," Teresa argued.

"No, you'll do worse damage," a bystander protested.

"Aren't there enough victims already?" another cried.

"There's no end to their bloodlust," said a third.

"Now they're after children," whispered a fourth.

"They're heartless creatures," spoke a fifth.

Teresa walked past them, ignoring their shouts and glares, stopping at the trashed car. She peered inside to find the child crying in pain and fear. She struggled with the handle to find it jammed. The little boy caught a glimpse of her face and shrieked.

"What are you doing to him?" his mother yelled and grasped Teresa's arm.

Teresa shook her loose and hissed. The woman fell down with a scream.

"Somebody shoot her!" a woman cried.

The rest of the crowd shrieked cries of panic.

Teresa turned her attention back to the car and bent down to where the hinges rested. She closed her eyes trying to remember what it was she did to cause the destruction in her house. She opened her mouth and screamed, the spiral light melted away the metal that clasped the door to the vehicle. The door flew off and landed in a ditch. Teresa extended her arms for the little boy. He stared at her with wide eyes, his entire body shaking.

"Come on, I'll get you out," Teresa calmly spoke.

The boy's mother stood up and clenched her hands.

The boy closed his eyes and moved himself towards her. Teresa grasped the child and carefully placed him in his mother's arms. She clasped her arms around him, her fingers smashing against his shirt and hair, and the river fell from her eyes.

She looked up at Teresa and said, "Thank you. Thank you so much."

The boy looked up at his mother's face. "Mommy, is she a superhero?"

She nodded. "She's a hero. That's for sure."

Teresa's heart skipped.

A crowd surrounded Teresa with applause and praise for her deed. She headed over to where her parents awaited her return. The crowd followed her. A news team chased after her as well. The reporter shouted out questions and shoved a microphone in her face and the camera man rushed to keep up. They originally were doing a report on the accident, but Teresa became a much more interesting topic.

"Can we expect more tricks like the one you just did to come?" the reporter asked.

Teresa sneered at her.

A burly man blocked the path of the meta-human and the reporter. His cap shadowed his eyes and his face held a frown.

"Did you see it, Sir?" the reporter asked.

He pointed his finger at the winged woman. "Don't trust her, you fools! She's one of those freaks."

"She just rescued a kid," a guy in the crowd argued.

"Probably in with the guy who started the pileup," the man in the cap defended. "I saw him. It was one of those big banged freaks who started it."

"Yeah, I saw him too!" another guy yelled.

"I did too," said a third. "He shot fire out of his hands."

"The freaks can't be trusted!" the second guy shouted.

Teresa clasped her hands over her ears. Everyone in the crowd began yelling at one another.

"This girl is a hero," spoke the mother of the boy Teresa rescued.

"You think so?" asked the first guy. "Yeah, now she's saving kids and smiling for the cameras. Pretty soon she'll be running with that fireboy. Just wait."

Teresa glared at him. "I don't even know a fireboy," she retorted.

"A likely story," the second guy said.

"That's enough," Mr. Maraz said making his way through the crowd. He glared at the large man, about the same size as himself, and growled, "I don't know what your problem is Mr., but if you ever harass my daughter again you'll be finding yourself with a broken nose."

Teresa held back a snicker.

Mr. Maraz kept his eyes on the stranger as he led his daughter back to the car.

"Just keep your eyes open," the guy warned the crowd.

Mr. Maraz had to take three deep breaths to keep himself from pummeling the jerk who dared to tarnish his youngest daughter's character.

He smiled with Teresa. "Don't let what that idiot said get to you. It may be true that some freak caused the accident, but you are not a freak."

"Have you seen me?" Teresa argued.

He sighed.

"They think I'm a freak like that fireguy."

"You shouldn't judge yourself that way." He put his hands on her shoulder. "That boy is a freak. Not because of how he looks or that he can control fire. If what they say is true. But because he chose to hurt people. You chose to help someone, and because of that you are not a freak."

Teresa smiled.

"What are we going to do about the car?" Teresa asked as they walked back to the damaged vehicle.

"A tow truck is on its way," Mr. Maraz replied. "Your mother is on the phone with a rental company. Hopefully we can get a rental car until ours is repaired."

He put his arm around Teresa as they neared her mother.

* * *

Right about now I bet you're wondering what happened to Teresa to cause her to change from a hero to a villain? As I said earlier, I'm not quite sure where I'm going to take this story right now. I've got two possibilities, but I'm trying to decide which one I should go with. I will hopefully have a new chapter up soon.

So yes, Hotstreak made a short cameo appearance in this chapter, and I'm going to put some more canon characters in the next. Ferret will definatley be one, and possibly Shiv. Are there any characters you want to see in the next chapter?

Thanks for reading this chapter. May you all have a blessed day.


	8. Fear

Disclaimer: I don't own Static Shock, The Wizard of Oz, The Little Mermaid, or Sleeping Beauty.

Thank you Paige and Snarky Beth for reviewing the last chapter. You both made a request to see Kangor and he will appear in the next chapter.

Author's Note: I'll go ahead and warn you this chapter is a little creepy. I like writing horror stories and when this idea hit me I just had to write it. This is the only chapter that will be in this style. Unless you want more like this then I'll be glad to do more. But I promise this will not turn into a horror story. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

* * *

After two hours of waiting the Maraz family received their rental car. Mr. Maraz instructed his wife to take Teresa to the hospital while he worked out the details with the police and insurance company.

Teresa buckled up in the passenger seat of the green car they paid for until their car was repaired. They were lucky to only have one side of their car smashed in along with the glass from the windows. Many others were not as lucky, several having lost their lives in the accident.

The only words that escaped anyone's mouth during that time were either complaints about the crash, or fear about these new creatures that walked the city. Some outright called them monsters. The word monster never scared Teresa as it did all the other little girls in the elementary years. The others always pretended to be princesses, fairies, mothers, or mermaids. Many refused to play with Teresa simply because of the fact she hated the sappy sweetness of fairytales. When they did invite her in their games she was often casted as the troll or witch. Little Teresa didn't mind. In fact when the entire class watched _The Wizard of Oz _in second grade, everyone else rooted for Dorothy to escape the flying monkeys and the witch's castle. Teresa smiled hoping that Dorothy's friends broke down the door after the last sand in the hourglass fell.

It was not until she met Jesse that someone treated her as a fairytale princess. He even often called her his Princess Tess. Teresa was not too fond of the name at first, but in time she learned to love it. She smiled as she remembered that conversation of the nickname.

"You are my Tess," Jesse spoke putting his arm around her and pulling her on the couch. "My fair Princess Tess rides into my kingdom."

Teresa poked Jesse on the nose.

"Then is the kingdom in the hands of a man named Jesse?" she asked.

"A prince worthy of a kingdom," Jesse announced.

"I do not think that Princess Tess will fall for a prince anytime soon," Teresa teased.

"You don't think I'm a prince?"

Teresa shook her head. Jesse poked out his lips.

"I don't feel that a prince fits you," Teresa explained. "In all the stories the prince is a noble, handsome man who rushes in just at the end to save the damsel in distress from a certain evil. And that's all there is to him. He has no personality. At least not until _The Little Mermaid_."

"What about _Sleeping Beauty_?

"Okay, the prince in _Sleeping Beauty_ is pretty cool. But other than that they were always so flat. And that's not you."

"Would you prefer a king? Or a wizard?"

She graced Jesse's face. "No. You are much more than a nameless savior who steps in just in the nick of time." She giggled. "Most princes are named Charming or some other adjective." Teresa shook her head. "I want the man who has always been there beside the princess from the beginning. The one who has always offered her help. The one who won't let her be captured by an ogre, or dragon, or witch." She pulled Jesse into a hug. "That's what you are. A knight."

"A knight, sounds cool."

"Then I here dub you Sir Jesse. Handsome knight at my side."

"I like it," Jesse said.

Teresa pulled him closer and they shared an innocent kiss.

Teresa leaned against the headrest imagining Jesse's face. She had to get better in order to see him once more. It was his senior year and he planned on taking her to the prom in six weeks. She already bought a lovely green dress that swept the floor. Around the waist were beaded jewels that fell in several diagonal lines reaching to her knees. Having been with her when the gown was purchased, Carla told her that she indeed looked like a princess in that dress.

In the meantime she needed to get rid of the imperfections upon her body. There was no way she could go to the ball as a harpie dressed as a princess.

Sara pulled the car into the hospital parking lot. There were paramedics lining the outside carrying in people on stretchers. Many of them contained deformities or people who had gone mad because of something the gas did to them.

Two cops wrestled with a young man about a year older than Teresa. He was lean and tall with pale skin and bright purple hair. He writhed in their hands screaming inaudible words at the top of his lungs. Teresa placed her hand over her chest, thankful that nothing worse happened to her.

The boy looked over in Teresa's directions. His shouts ceased upon making eye contact with her. He flashed a wide smile and tried to call out to her. This rare calm moment with him allowed the nurse the opportunity to tranquilize the young mutant. He screamed as the needle seeped into his tender skin. She quickly inserted the medicine giving the police the okay to transport him to the mental facility down the road. They placed him on a cot and fastened several straps around his arms before locking the bed in place in the back of an ambulance. The paramedic shut the door then rushed over to the driver's seat. The vehicle stormed out of the parking lot, yet the image of the boy remained in Teresa's mind.

Sara took hold of Teresa's hand and led her inside the building. A nurse standing at the exit shrieked at the sight of the teenager. Sara shut her eyes and growled. Teresa looked down. She did not expect anyone to welcome her, her own reflection scared herself.

"Is she another of the mad creatures?" the nurse asked.

Sara scowled at her. "That's my daughter. And I assure you she's sane."

"That's what they thought about that boy who escaped earlier," the nurse retorted. "Rumor has it he caused a huge accident out on the highway."

Teresa winced.

Sara had to inhale deeply to keep from giving that woman what she deserved. Teresa kept her eyes away from everyone in the room. She knew what every last one of them were thinking of her. That very same word was etched into her brain. _Freak._

"Sara Maraz!" a nurse called upon seeing the woman she had talked to on the phone not an hour ago. She remembered her from the appointment the day before.

Sara rushed up to her. "Please tell me there's something you can do to help my child."

"Does it have anything to do with that explosion?" the nurse asked.

"What explosion?"

"The one at the docks. It's responsible for all this madness." She lifted her perfectly groomed nails into the air displaying all the shouting and crying surrounding the waiting room. Only two people sat down in the chairs provided. A table was overturned with last years editions of magazines no one bothered to read spilt on the tiled floor. Clawmarks were etched into the wall. Droplets of dried blood decorated the same wall, falling to the tiny puddle at the bottom.

"What happened?" Sara asked.

The nurse put her hand over her mouth and swallowed a sip of water from the plastic, disposable cup to keep herself from regurgitating. "One of those people grew claws." She rose her eyes to meet Sara's. "I'm not lying. I saw it myself." She shook her head. "There's no cure for this. He couldn't take it."

"And where is he now?" Sara asked as her face became as pale as the nurse's.

"They took him to the mental hospital two hours ago." She took another swallow of her drink. "He wasn't the first. We took some boy to a room. He looked really banged up. My friend pulled out a needle and he sat up and grasped her hand." She put her hands on her face trying to block out that memory. "Then flames popped out of his hands. He hurt her. Then he ran out before anyone could stop him. He blew up the cars out front and no one's seen him since. I don't understand what's going on here."

Sara put her hand on the nurse's shoulder and lowered her face to hers. "Have they all gone crazy?"

The nurse gave her the most apologetic face. "Almost every one of them."

Sara clasped her hand over her mouth and looked over at Teresa who took a seat close to the door. She folded her hands in her laps and her knees shook while her eyes darted around the room. Everyone who's eyes met hers looked away. A child whimpered at the sight of Teresa's face.

Teresa clenched her fists. She thought about the explosion at the docks. It knocked her unconscious and hurt her arm, but never did she imagine something that happened that night would distort her very appearance. She looked up at the ceiling wondering if it was some divine punishment for all the times she lied to sneak out and meet Jesse.

"Teresa," Sara said sitting down beside her daughter. She placed her hand on Teresa's and squeezed. "The doctor will see you soon."

"Mama, do you think I'm going to go crazy like the others?" Teresa asked with a tear in her eye.

"No, sweetie, you'll be fine," Sara replied with a smile.

"Teresa," a nurse called.

Teresa and her mother followed the woman in violet scrubs to a room in the back. Teresa hesitated to walk inside the sterilized room.

Sara usually waited in the other room, but was not about to allow someone to harm her daughter in fear of what she could do. Both Sara and her husband honestly felt immense terror that morning when they witnessed their youngest daughter damage their house. She feared how someone outside the family would welcome the mutant.

Dr. Border walked inside the room with Teresa's chart clipped to the board.

"Mrs. Maraz, Teresa," she said greeting them both.

"Do you know what's going on?" Sara asked.

Dr. Border lowered her eyes. "I'm afraid those mutations are only the start of what will happen."

Teresa sobbed.

"It's going to get worse?" Sara shrieked.

Dr. Border nodded. "I'm afraid so."

"What caused this?" Sara asked.

"We can't pinpoint the source," Dr. Border replied. "Every case has been different. Some people still have their human form. Others, like your daughter, have changed shape. No two people have the same ability."

"Ability?" Teresa asked. "Is that why I can...?"

"Teresa!" her mother snapped. She turned back to the doctor. "Please say there's something you can do."

"We can't find a common thread for this virus," Dr. Border explained. "Until we can there's no way to make a cure."

Teresa let the tears fall down her face.

"That's not acceptable," Sara barked. "My daughter looks like a bird. That's not normal."

Teresa leaned into her knees.

"I'm afraid her appearance is the least of your worries," Dr. Border said. "So far twenty-five percent of the patients have died or are dying."

Sara gasped.

Dr. Border hesitated to say the next part. "And seventy percent have gone mad."

"And the other ten?" Sara asked.

Dr. Border shook her head. "They've vanished."

"Vanished?" Teresa gasped.

"What do you mean?" Sara asked. "They escaped?"

Dr. Border took a deep breath. "No. I don't know how to explain, Mrs. Maraz. They were there one minute then when we turned around they were gone. But they never left the room. And no one went inside." Sara clutched her hair. "Police have searched the building, sent out missing persons reports, you name it. There's no trace of them."

"People don't just disappear!" Sara shouted.

"I know that, Mrs. Maraz," Dr. Border responded. "It's physically impossible. But that's what happened."

"So you're telling me there's no good news?" Sara asked as she began to weep.

"Stop it!" Teresa yelled as she fell to the ground. She curled up her fingers and writhed on the floor. "Please, please stop saying this." She looked up with her eyes pouring. "I don't want to become a monster. Please, Mama, tell me I'll get better. Please."

Sara knelt down beside the birdgirl.

"You'll be fine," Sara spoke. "This will soon be over."

"I want to wake up," Teresa wept. "And be normal again. I will."

Her mother looked up at the doctor. "What should we do?"

"Mrs. Maraz," Dr. Border said adjusting her eyeglasses. "You're not going to like what I suggest. But I think it should be done."

Sara helped Teresa to her feet as she listened.

"We don't know what will happen. So in the meantime let's just check her into the asylum."

Sara released Teresa's hands and glared at the woman across the way.

"My daughter is not crazy!" Sara growled.

"I know that, Mrs. Maraz but..."

"You are not taking her in there with all those lunatics."

"But Mrs. Maraz..."

"She's a child! I'm not going to expose her to that."

"I understand, but..."

"No, no buts! She's not going. Spending time with insane people _will_ drain her sanity."

"It's for the best, Mrs. Maraz," Dr. Border spoke. "There's an ambulance downoutside waiting for her."

"What?" Sara shrieked.

"We're transporting all the healthy ones as soon as we can," Border replied. She turned to Teresa and gave her a sweet smile. "Dear, it's best if you don't fight. If you go calmly they won't use restraints or tranquilizers."

Teresa's mouth dropped.

"Come on, I'll escort you to them," she said grabbing Teresa's arm. "It'll just be for a little while. They're not going to hurt you. They'll take good care of you. And when you get there they'll give you a nice room and a hot meal. Let's go."

"No!" Teresa screamed trying to break from the doctor's grasp.

"Let's go, Teresa," Border said tightening her grip.

Sara reared her arm aimed for the doctor's face. Before she could strike Teresa's hand slipped and her talons sliced deep gashes into the doctor's arm. A river of crimson flooded the white lab coat.

"Security!" Dr. Border yelled pressing a button on the wall.

Teresa punched the doctor in the face and fled from the room despite her mother's pleas to return. The woman's blood dripped down between Teresa's fingers. Her feet echoed as she dashed down the hallway. She pushed aside a nurse that blocked her way.

"Hey, you!" a cop yelled as he darted after the metahuman.

Teresa squeaked and picked up speed. She felt a sharp pain in her toes. Teresa took a deep breath to silence the pains and continued to head down the long hallway. She quickly jerked out to the door on the left that revealed stairs that led down to the basement. Teresa's nails slipped down the banister sending a shrieking scream up into the hall. The policeman slammed the door open and followed after her. He called on his walkie-talkie for backup to meet at the back exit.

A dim light illuminated the path ahead of her. She pushed everything in sight behind her in an attempt to trip up the cop. She hid behind a metal cart. The sound of feet skidding along the items filled her ears. She held her breath as the man ran past her hiding spot. Teresa stood up. She nearly screamed at the sudden movement out of the corner of her eye. She caught her breath and let out a sigh of relief when she realized it was only her own shadow.

She checked both directions twice before stepping back onto the hallway. She turned to head for the door. A frigid sensation covered her entire body. She felt the feathers on her arms fluff up. She heard what sounded like a deep chuckle behind her. She whipped around with her claws spread out to find nothing there. Teresa slowly let out the air in her lungs and laughed at herself for being so paranoid.

Just at that moment she saw slow movement on her right. She turned around and screamed as the shadows on the wall moved. She fell back knocking over the items on the nearby table. The shadow formed into the shape of a man with bright white eyes. The shadow's arms reached out and his fingers readied to grab the girl. The cop rushed over with and yelled as he saw the same creature before him. He grasped Teresa by the arm and pushed her behind him. He whipped out his revolver and pointed it at the figure.

"Put your hands up and stand against the wall!" he yelled.

The shadow cackled.

"Do it or I'll shoot!"

The shadow disappeared. The two looked at each other before searching the room. Shadowed hands grasped the policeman's legs. He shot at the ground making Teresa scream. The figure grabbed the gun and yanked it away. The shadowman leapt up and glared at the cop. He clutched him by the throat and squeezed. The man tried to pry the shadow's solid fingers from his neck. The creature cackled as the cop's face slowly lost color.

He turned to Teresa and wheezed, "Run!"

Teresa obeyed his order and headed for the backdoor. The shadow creature released the cop just as he passed out. His body landed with a cracking thud. The shadow followed after her. She glanced behind her to find those eyes keeping up with her.

Teresa slung the door opened. He yelled and vanished as the sunlight crept upon his body. Teresa let the door slam behind her. She fell on her hands and knees and vomited right there on the hospital's back step. She wiped the tears and sweat from her face. Two cops stood just around the corner. At the mention of her name she went still and listened in on their conversation.

"Yes, Teresa Maraz," one spoke on the police radio. "A young Hispanic female age sixteen. Five foot seven, one-hundred and eighteen pounds with caramel colored hair and eyes. Covered in feathers and arms like wing and long claws. You can't miss her. Wanted for assault of a doctor and a nurse. Believed to be dangerous and insane."

Teresa's eyes shot open.

"Assault?" she asked herself in a soft voice. "It was self-defense." She internally growled as she remembered why she hated that doctor so much.

Teresa snuck away from the hospital. She crept down the alleyway, keeping an extra eye out for that shadow creature. She shrieked as a couple of rats dashed past her. Teresa surveyed the area to make sure no one heard her then continued to move down the dark pathway.

She heard footsteps coming her way. Teresa's heart pounded and she looked around her for a way out. She glanced down at her new wings. She wondered if they worked like actual wings or if they were just a cruel joke. Before she could even wave her arms the shadow dashed out from behind the brick building making her scream. The boy who caused the shadow yelled along with her.

"I'm so sorry!" Teresa shouted as she ran over to him. "I thought you were...Luke?"

The boy stepped back with a confused expression on his face. The guy she barely knew suffered from the same fate as herself. His nose protruded past his mouth and resembled a rodent's snout. His buck teeth were twice as long now as well as his claws. His spine hunched over. He now truly did look like a ferret.

"Do I know you?" he asked.

"Luke, it's me, Teresa," she said.

Luke's mouth fell.

"You can't be," he spoke. "You're..."

"I'm a freak!" Teresa shouted. "Like you. Like half this town."

"I'm so sorry, Teresa," he cried. "It must've happened because I touched you. I didn't know it was contageous. I didn't know I had it."

"No, it's okay, it's not your fault," Teresa explained. "It was the docks. Something there caused this."

"Then maybe we should get you to a doctor," Ferret suggested.

"No!" Teresa boomed. "I'm not going back there. I just escaped. They wanted to lock me up in the nuthouse just because my face is disfigured. Then that overdramatic tramp of a doctor told them I assaulted her. Then that shadow. Oh."

"Teresa, calm down," Luke said. "Are you saying you're on the run?"

"Yes, they're locking up every freak they find. And now they have the proof they need to say I'm crazy."

"Are you crazy?"

"No, it was an accident. That woman grabbed me. What would you have done?"

Luke nodded.

"Luke, I can't go home, and I can't go anywhere else," Teresa cried. "Everyone's out looking for me. What do I do?"

Luke thought for a minute. "Come with me. I'm going to stay at my good friend Damien's house until I find somewhere else to live."

"What about your apartment?" Teresa asked.

"The landlord kicked me out when he saw my face," Luke said pointing at his nose. "He thought I had something to do with the gangs that were out at the dock. He wouldn't let me explain or ask questions. He just ordered me to leave. He didn't even let me get my stuff. Now I understand why."

"Please can I come?"

"I don't think he'll mind."

Luke took hold of Teresa's hand and the two of them ran into the shadows of the alley. Teresa felt a stinging fear in her stomach. She'd often been warned to never trust strangers. But did that rule count when the strangers were the only ones kind enough to offer a fugitive monster assistance?


	9. Damien

Thank you Snarky Beth, Shana Elmsford, and FuriousDeragonmaji for your review of the last chapter!

Author's Note: Sorry it took so long to update this. I was thinking of the many different ways their meeting with Kangor should go and finally decided on one. So yes, he makes his debut appearance in this chapter. I couldn't find any information on his name, so I gave him the name Damien. Anyway, hope you enjoy!

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The two freaks walked side-by-side down the darkened tunnel that led to the neighborhood in which this Damien dwelt. Teresa once knew someone with the name Damien. She did not know him well, only that he was the smart, quiet boy in her math class that always made perfect scores on the test, ruining their chances of ever having a curve. However she highly doubted that these two Damiens were the same. Their feet clicked upon the cracked beige pavement inside the dimly lit, arched structure. Still the heat contained inside could not warm the chillbumps lining Teresa's winged arms.

They listened for vehicles coming in both directions. Most of the traffic remained either downtown, or of the recent news involving the meta-humans, to another city.

Teresa knew it was only a matter of days, maybe even hours, before her picture was posted on every news channel warning the good citizens of Dakota to be on the lookout for her. Yet she knew deep down in her heart that it was not Teresa Maraz they were searching for, but this winged beast who recently occupied her body. Despite the many attempts to shake herself or the intentional harm she inflicted upon her skin, she could not wake from this nightmare.

That strain she felt earlier yanked at the nerves of her foot once more causing a yelp to escape from her lips. Luke stopped and turned towards the female.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Teresa nodded. "It's just my foot."

"Is it broken or sprained?"

"I don't know," Teresa said leaning against the wall. She brought her foot up to her chest and contemplated removing her shoe to discover the source of her discomfort.

White lights emerged through the darkened area. The teens took that as their cue to leap over to the pavement on the opposite side of the yellow lines. The car darted through, beeping its horn at the two watching it pass.

"How much farther?" Teresa asked.

"Just beyond this tunnel," Luke replied.

"And you're sure Damien won't mind?"

"Nah, not if you're a friend."

Teresa tucked herself within her own arms. She felt a deeper sting in her stomach with each step she took. There would be absolutely no way to explain to her family the reason for staying at a complete male stranger's house this time. Yet she still wondered if she were to return home what would happen. Her parents were strong supporters of the law, there was no doubt in her mind, even though her mother witnessed the truth behind Dr. Border's lies, that they would turn her into the police the moment she stepped through the door.

A tear fell down her face as the final thought entered her mind. Just two hours ago marked the last day she was a part of the Maraz family. No longer would she taste the scrumptious delights of her mother's cooking. No more would she be allowed to join them on family outings to the park, or visit her grandmother on weekends. When her sister and Miguel finally did set a date, she would not receive an invitation, allowing another snobby relative her position as the maid of honor. Another tear leaked onto her cheek as she thought of all the mundane things she once took for granted would now hold on as a sorrowful memory.

She glanced up to find Luke still leading the way. She wiped away the tears and forced her face into a neutral stance. She had to push those memories away. That's all they were now, and the only thing they would do from now on is cause her harm.

They passed through the end of tunnel leading them into a slightly brightened world of gray. Teresa shielded her eyes momentarily until her pupils adjusted. The grass beneath their feet was brown and crispy. The once bright sky fell victim to the invasion of the grayest clouds. The sunlight faded behind traveling clouds. The cold surface of old pavement, much in need of repair, hindered their further travel up through the neighborhood.

Teresa's eyes met with an abandoned lot that she assumed once held a house, leaving a rectangle of ash in the grass. The barbed wire gates were smashed in. A rusty swingset remained standing in the back with a busted tire-swing laying on the ground. Beside it was a wooden swing still in good condition. The metal slide was scraped and covered in dirt, old leaves, and straw. Several plastic bags fluttered by, occasionally becoming stuck through the holes in the fence. Plastic and glass bottles lined the ditch.

She stood with her arms crossed watching that solitary swing sway a few inches back then return to its original spot. The light wind repeated this pattern without end. Each time it moved forward the chain would creak increasing the amount of water collected in Teresa's eyes.

"Teresa," Luke said gently touching her arm.

The young woman snapped out of her trance and smiled back at the boy. He motioned with a nod of his head that the two of them should continue on before a search party entered the area. She took one last glance at the swing before continuing on with Luke.

They turned into a gravel driveway. Teresa stared up at the house in front of her. It was a one-story house painted white with blue shutters. There was a small porch lining from the steps to the right side of the house, made of chipping wood. The grass was just a tad longer than Teresa cared for with several stones thrown in between the blades.

The two gradually climbed the steps, each one creaking beneath their feet. Luke gave her one more confident smile before opening the glass door. The white, wooden door behind it was locked. Luke knocked three times on the side then stepped back waiting for a reply.

A minute later the door opened revealing a man a few years Luke's senior dressed in blue jeans and a long, yellow tee shirt. His appearance formed a smile across Teresa's face. This stranger truly was the tall, dark, and handsome she often heard of in conversation. Although she was disappointed that his eyes were shielded by a pair of thin shades, that being her favorite feature when judging another's physical appearance, she especially loved his lips, they reminded her of Jesse's.

Teresa's eyes widened at the thought of her boyfriend. She looked down at her arm to find it bare. She sighed as she remembered leaving her purse in her bedroom which contained her cellphone.

"I've been expecting you," Damien spoke as he extended his hand. Luke accepted the gesture and Damien brought him into a half-hug. Though Teresa could not see his eyes, she caught that his eyes drifted over to her. "You brought a friend with you?"

"Yeah, Damien," Luke explained. "She's just like me."

"I can see," Damien said looking over Teresa's appearance. Her cheeks brightened. "It looks like we're all a happy family."

Teresa's eyes followed Damien's finger as he pointed down at his feet. She nearly gasped seeing they were three times the size of his head. Luke gave him an apologetic look. Damien placed his hand on Luke's shoulder and whispered something in his ear to which Luke shook his head. He then turned around and beckoned for the two of them to follow him inside. Luke glanced back at Teresa then stepped inside his friend's house.

Teresa grasped onto the banister as she stepped onto the porch. She slowly walked to the doorframe and peered into the darkness of the interior. She took a deep breath and walked inside.

The house smelt of peppermint. The entrance led to two spaces, the living room on the right and the kitchen to the left. Teresa simply followed after Luke. The boy took a seat on the cushioned blue sofa. Teresa looked around at the furniture pieces all in shades of blue before sitting down next to Luke. The walls held metal sconces which each had an orange candle inside. Most of the candles were lit, giving the room its light. There were candles on the table as well, each one with a tiny flame flickering at the end of the wick. The television was on with the sound on mute.

Teresa heard the refrigerator door slam and the heavy pounding of Damien's feet stomping back into the living room. He held a can of soda in both hands and a third held by both. He handed a Coke to both Luke and Teresa, leaving one for himself. He flicked open the top and sat down in the chair next to them.

"So, you're Luke's friend?" he asked before taking a swallow.

Teresa nodded, clutching the chilled can. "Teresa Maraz," she spoke offering her hand.

Damien shook her hand and told her his name.

"Luke never mentioned bringing a friend, a female friend at that, this morning," Damien said.

"Oh, we just met up on my way up here," Luke explained. "She's in a similar situation and can't go back home."

"What happened?" Damien asked.

Teresa took a large swig then told him the story of what happened at the hospital.

"So you're wanted for something that you didn't do?" Damien asked as she concluded her story.

Teresa nodded, having not yet mentioned the part about the shadow monster attacking her and the cop before she fled.

"I mean they can't just do this to us, can they?" Luke asked. "Just because we have a few mutations?"

"That's what the doctor told me in so many words," Teresa explained. "She said they'll take care of us until they find a cure. But they're not going to find one."

"At least no time soon," Luke spoke.

Teresa looked down at the liquid inside the aluminum cylinder.

"They can do anything they want if it'll make the citizens feel better about their safety," said Damien. "Even if they know it's wrong."

"But they haven't done anything," Luke retorted.

"Doesn't matter," Damien argued. "The few who did do stuff make the rest look bad. People are prejudiced, especially if they think it'll hurt them." He paused and stared into the eyes of the other two meta-humans. "And they will find a reason to lock them up. Even exaggerate or lie." He lifted his hand in Teresa's direction. "Like what they did with you."

Teresa shut her eyes and imagined the face of that haughty, smiling doctor. Her fingers wrapped around the can, crushing it on itself.

Luke tapped Teresa's hand. She looked up and over at him to meet his weak smile. He nodded at the can, upon which Teresa realized what she was doing. She released her grip on the beverage vessel then brought it up to her lips to finish the liquid inside.

"At nightfall we go get your stuff," Damien said as he stood up.

"Thanks," Luke replied following his friend to the kitchen.

Teresa watched them disappear, their sudden movements causing all the flames to lean to the right. Its bright orange glow brought the image of Jesse to her mind. She wondered how many times he called her by now and how worried he truly was. He had not seen her since the accident. Anxiety stung her heart as she dreaded how the news of her sudden switch to a life of crime would affect their relationship. Perhaps in this new light, her parents would not be so demeaning towards the boy.

All that mattered now was to find her cellphone and a way to contact Jesse.

The rest of the afternoon the three sat in the living room watching dramas on the television. Damien often glanced over at Teresa wondering if he would hear her speak again. Her dark eyes were glued to the screen, yet he sensed that her gaze was only a mask to what agonies hid behind. He tilted his hand on his fist with his elbow down against the chair's armrest trying to imagine her thoughts. Something in her facial expression screamed worry, but not for the fear of being arrested and taken to a mental health facility. It was something deeper, something that even he could not grasp.

Teresa felt a presence watching her. She shivered then glanced over at Damien who's eyes darted over to the TV unnoticed. Teresa clutched her arms and returned her attention to the man arguing with the two detectives. The character attempted to explain that he was not the killer they were looking for. The cops continued to probe leaving the man red-faced and shouted obscenities. Teresa felt an ample amount of pity for the fictional man on the screen, fully understanding his pain.

The hours rushed by bringing the night sky into power. The three stood up and readied to head out.

It was at this moment that Damien removed his shades to pinch away what crusted in his tearducts. Teresa glanced over and silently gasped as she realized his feet were not the only thing affected by the gas. In those two seconds she realized the irises, which she imagined once to be the solid brown color of the thin circle surrounding his pupils, were now encircled by many shades of gold. The further out the rings the redder they became with variations of orange in the center. He placed the glasses back over his eyes, she now understanding why even in the dark he needed to shield them.

"You ready?" Damien asked the two as he turned around.

They nodded and followed after him. It was at that moment a thought struck Teresa that sent shivers down her arms: what if the gas had nothing to do with those eyes?

In the shadows Damien was swift, moving silently with every leap. Teresa found it strange that even when he landed, his feet were so controlled, that very little destruction was caused to the pavement. Luke's lean legs were excellent for running. However his posture caused him to trip up and stumble often. Eventually he hunched over, using his hands to assist his movements. It was then that grace took over his four limbs and aided him with great speed.

Teresa was always a great runner, those three years playing softball really toned her legs, making them more agile and sharp. Yet for some reason she now found it difficult to keep up with her normal speed. The guys were much faster than her, trailing way ahead. That throbbing pain in her feet surfaced again. She stumbled and fell forward, almost landing on her face. Her arms protected her and she rolled over.

Luke was the first to notice and rushed over to her side.

"Teresa, are you okay?" he asked pushing her fingers away from her face.

"I don't know what's wrong," Teresa spoke. "It's my feet."

Luke glanced over at Damien who was currently making his way over to the group.

"Let's take a look at this," Luke said reaching for Teresa's shoe.

He tried to pull, but had trouble removing the shoe. He untied the lacing and the two pulled together without any luck. Luke apologized with his eyes then gave another attempt with all his strength. She released a groan as the shoe was forcefully yanked away from her foot, sending Luke on his back. Teresa sighed in relief. While she wiggled her now free toes, something about them felt wrong. The two looked down making Luke moan in disgust and Teresa gasp. What used to be toes were now replaced with talons. She gasped air as she examined the deformity hoping that this was all part of a nightmare. Teresa ripped off her other shoe to find the same thing present with that foot. Her ankles were covered in feathers, still not as full as her arms, that connected to these clawed feet.

"I'm a monster," Teresa whispered.

"You're not a monster," Luke said helping her stand.

"Look at me!" she cried.

"I am," Luke spoke.

He stared into her eyes with his. Teresa felt a bit of warmth, but it was still not enough to rid her thoughts of the image burned in her brain.

Teresa gagged while she looked down at her feet. The talons kept her standing upright and they did not hurt upon the rocky edges of the road. None of that mattered, her once lovely feet were gone making room for another trait of a freak.

"We have to keep moving," Damien reminded them. "Before someone finds out."

"I don't know if I can run," Teresa said at last.

"You don't have to," Damien replied. He lifted her hand and pointed to the feathers. "You have wings. Fly."

"I can't fly!" shrieked Teresa. "I'm a person, not a bird."

"I used to not jump that high," Damien retorted. "And Luke never ran on his hands."

"Yeah, we can do new things now," said Luke.

Teresa spread her arms and truly took in the structure of her wings. From the back they did resemble that of a bird's. It what Damien said about Luke and himself was true, and that boy earlier had the ability to shoot flames from his hands, and she herself could scream lightening. Perhaps those wings were not there merely for a cruel decoration.

Teresa shook her arms and felt the wind around her aiding her up above the ground. She glanced down to find herself hovering almost a foot above where she once stood. She stopped and fell down in Luke's arms. He patted her on the back and encouraged her to try again, but not to stop flapping her arms until she reached their destination. Teresa nodded and followed Luke's request. That time she discovered herself above their heads. And although she still felt like a creature, being forced to move with the darkness, her lips found a reason to smile at her accomplishment.

Damien shouted and the three rushed off to the apartment building.

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Well, there's that chapter. Writing Kangor's character is pretty difficult because there's not really much known about him. On the show he always struck me as dark and mysterious, like there was something much more to him than what you see on the surface. I tried to show that in here, taking a darker route with his character. Let me know what you think. I'll have another chapter up shortly.


	10. Betrayal

Disclaimer: I do not own Static Shock.

Author's Note: I realize it has been forever ago since I added a new chapter, but here it is. Hope you enjoy!

Thank you Maxximum123, Soaha, Shana Elmsford, Snarky Beth, and Shadowfox Snowblitz for your reviews of the last chapter!

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The trio neared Luke's old apartment complex. They took the less crowded route in hopes to avoid the police. Even if they were caught there was not much the authorities could do to stop them. Luke was quick enough to dodge bullets and Damien could eliminate the tarmac they stood upon if the cops so much as pulled out a gun. Teresa, however, worried that her wings were not tough enough to repel metal objects traveling at sixty miles per hour, nor was she fast enough to avoid them. The men pledged to keep her safe through the duration of the mission.

At last they arrived at the building. Damien handed each of them a sack he kept over his shoulder. The building appeared different in the dark. The fungus yellow color that disgusted her in the sunlight seemed more beige under the stars. Either way the new exterior would keep her from regurgitating the meal Damien made for her and Luke not two hours ago. However the musty smell was as strong as always. Luke walked over to his apartment window and tried lifting the panel.

"It's stuck," he yelled in a hushed voice to the other two.

"Is it locked?" Damien asked.

Luke replied, "I never lock the window." He looked over at the other two then said, "I figure if anyone's going to rob me they might as well not bust out my window. Know how much the landlord'll charge to have it replaced?" Luke turned back to the window. "Unless he locked it when he kicked me out."

Damien knocked on the glass to find it much too thick to punch out. Besides he worried the noise might cause a disturbance.

"I have an idea," Luke said after glancing down at his hands. It was something he saw on a movie once, but lacked any knowledge to if it would work in reality. He raised his index finger up to the pane and dug his claw inside the glass. He sliced a circle out of the window then handed it to Damien. Damien tossed the chunk on the ground. Luke reached down to the lever and pulled up. He then yanked the window open and climbed inside. Damien followed after him.

"You stay here and keep watch," he said to Teresa.

Teresa nodded and handed Damien her sack.

The boys filled the bags with the items that were of some value to Luke. He decided to leave unnecessary items such as dishes, the clock, and useless decorations. They also decided against grabbing bulky items which unfortunately included his grandfather's antique armoire. He packed one bag with his favorite clothes, leaving the rest to be donated wherever the manager decided to haul them off to. He stuffed two blankets in that bag then tossed it out to Teresa. She put the bag by her feet. Money, shoes, CDs, food, pictures, and other small items were snatched and secured in the burlap sacks.

Luke gagged for the third time. Usually the mold and mildew never bothered him, but now the stench was just unbearable.

"I'm surprised you're not always sick living here," Damien commented.

"The owner's not exactly the most compassionate person," Luke said with a laugh. "He'd rather us all die of some lung disease than pay to have this place cleaned." Luke looked around the room wondering what else he needed.

"Maybe I can come by with a truck tomorrow and pick up the furniture," Damien suggested.

"Nah, too risky," Luke replied. "Once the landlord finds out I came back he'll probably have this room blocked off." He looked over at the armoire and mentally apologized to his dead grandfather for having to leave it.

"Okay, you got all you want?" Damien asked.

Luke took a look around, searching inside every cabinet and closet to make sure. He grabbed a few more things then pulled the drawstring on his bag. Luke threw his sack out the window then climbed with the help of Teresa. Damien followed after. His feet knocked the bricks out of the wall. He shrugged then just crouched out through the new hole.

"Well, at least I don't have to pay for damages," Luke laughed.

"Let's get this stuff to my house," Damien ordered.

Teresa picked up the bag by her feet and swung it over her shoulder. The new strength took her by surprise. It became difficult to fly with only one wing. The guys were already a few feet ahead of her. Teresa thought for a second then dropped the sack back down to her feet. She hovered above the valuables then grasped at the drawstring with her talons. Her speed increased and she soon caught up with the other two.

They returned to Damien's house a little after ten. Damien closed the door once the three were safe inside. Luke took the bag from Teresa then placed his things gently on the table in the kitchen. He opened the cabinet and filled a glass of water forTeresa. She thanked him then drank it down in one breath. He gave a glass to Damien and kept one for himself.

Teresa put her hand against her forehead. The claws accidentally scratched her skin. She winced then opened her eyes to look directly at her wrist. She gasped and almost dropped the glass.

"My bracelet, it must've fallen off at the apartment!" Teresa exclaimed. "I have to get it."

"Teresa," Luke called.

"No, if they discover it they'll know you were with me and you'll be put on the wanted list too," she yelled as she dashed out the door. Luke followed her out on the porch calling her name. He watched her fly away in the direction of the city.

Luke leaned over the porch railing with his arm stretched out in the direction Teresa left. He put his hand on the splintered banister and lowered his eyes. Several ants skittered about beneath his fingers. Damien's echoing footsteps foretold his coming. He stopped just behind Luke and rose his eyes to meet the night sky. It seemed as though the stars were the only ones not hiding themselves from the freaks of the city.

Luke turned around and leaned against the railing. "Should I go after her?"

Damien removed his glasses. Luke was one of the few who felt comfort and not fear in the presence of the tall, built stranger when walking through the shadows. It made perfect sense to Damien that Luke would also be the one who could look upon his new eyes without fear.

"You like her, man?" Damien asked.

Luke shrugged. "Doesn't matter. She's got a boyfriend." Luke chuckled. "Don't think she'd be too interested in me."

"Not her type?"

Luke shook his head. "You should've seen her before the gas changed her." Luke closed his eyes and formed the image of the face he used to remember. "She was so beautiful. I mean she could give those girls on MTV a run for their money." He opened his eyes and smiled at his friend. "I still think she's pretty. The gas didn't take her beauty."

"You still find her just as beautiful now as then?" Damien asked.

Luke nodded. "You bet."

"It seems to me she trusts you," Damien replied.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a lighter. Luke pursed his lips, but spoke not a word. Damien flicked the device and watched the flame dance in the evening wind. Damien quit smoking two years ago, but still got the urge to see the fire every now and again. He confessed to Luke that the lighters were one of the reasons he took up the habit in the first place. Whenever he needed to clear his mind all he needed was a can of soda and a nice match.

Luke leaned back and closed his eyes taking in the image of Teresa, both as she was now and before. Never in his life could he recall having known someone of her caliber. He smiled as he remembered her smell. It recently occurred to him that he now distinguished people more by their scent than their appearance. Teresa's scent of lavender, one of his favorite smells was enough to keep him in her power.

"Where you going?" Damien asked while watching Luke dash down the stairs.

"I have to go after her," Luke cried. "She might not know the way back."

"I'll leave the door unlocked."

"Alright!" Luke called before disappearing down the road.

Damien released the flame and put the lighter back in his pocket. He snickered and smiled at the night sky before walking inside the house.

* * *

Teresa flew back to the city. She hovered over the many buildings, most of which appeared nearly identical in the dark. She kicked herself for not taking in any specific detail that would distinguish it from the clones. She flapped her wings, keeping herself in the air as she closed her eyes trying to remember anything. Her eyes opened when she realized the building was in walking distance from the docks.

She squinted her eyes until located the infamous docks in the distance over to her right. In no time she neared the location that cost her beauty. There were people wearing oxygen masks trying to repair the damage and clean up the water.

Teresa smiled when she reached the building. She floated down to the room with the busted out window. She knelt down on the ground and searched the nearby grass. She yelped when her finger came upon a loose sliver of glass. She brought the bleeding tip up to her lips. She remembered her aunt's seven minute lecture on how the germs inside the mouth would worsen wounds. Teresa curled that finger against her palm then crawled around the surrounding area. Her fingers searched the short blades until they brushed up against the plastic. She smiled and placed the bracelet around her wrist.

She spun around imagining Jesse being there to twirl her. She placed her hands on her arms and imagined the wings were the sleeves of an elaborate dress. A dress similar to the one she bought for the prom. Jesse would stand close to her and the two would waltz until the clock struck midnight. Teresa wished the wings would leave her by prom night. Even if the deal had to be like Cinderella's, it would be enough to make her smile. For those few hours she could return to the beautiful teen she was before and relive the days when she had not a care. If only Jesse could see past her curse.

The thought hit her for the umpteenth time that day. She spread her wings and headed in the direction for Jesse's house. She let the evening wind caress her face and slide down her feathers. She gracefully glided beneath the stars, for the first time taking in their beauty. So many memories of her and Jesse watching the stars came back to her. He told her she shined brighter than any star and now she felt closer to them. She stopped to look at their elegance. It seemed strange that even though she reigned the sky the stars appeared to be the same size as when she laid on the blanket in the park with her boyfriend.

Teresa stopped outside Jesse's window. Her boyfriend's room was cloaked by blue curtains. She checked her reflection in the mirror as she often did before joining him. The smile fell when she saw the monster staring back at her. There were no loose strands to push off of her forehead. No amount of makeup could fix the deformities. She raised her knuckles to the glass and wondered if she should even knock. Anxiety seized her. Teresa tried to keep those thoughts from her mind. The comfort of Jesse's promise to always love her gave her the courage to lean her arm forward. She took a deep breath and knocked before she changed her mind.

She waited while barely breathing. Part of her wished Jesse to not be home. She saw a figure walking towards the window. He pushed the curtain out of the way. Teresa smiled. Her smile was brief, taking its leave when Jesse stumbled back and opened his mouth. He tried to scream, but the sound found itself caught in his throat. He grabbed the metal baseball bat by the dresser and positioned it to swing.

"Jesse, it's me!" Teresa called. "It's me, Teresa!"

Jesse dropped the bat. His fingers trembled with every step he took. He pressed his nose against the glass taking in Teresa's face. He gasped and placed his hand over his mouth.

"Please, Jesse, let me in," Teresa pleaded with her hands against the glass. "I need to talk to you."

Jesse's shaking hands fumbled with the latch. He opened the window and stepped back as he watched Teresa fly inside. She stared up at him with a sad smile. Jesse's eyes could not part from the woman he pledged his life to.

"Tess, what happened?" Jesse asked as he sat down on his bed.

"There was an explosion at the docks two nights ago," Teresa explained. "I don't know what happened but I ended up like this."

"What kind of explosion?" Jesse asked.

Teresa joined him on the bed. Jesse jumped up and moved over to his desk.

"Jesse, I won't hurt you," Teresa said moving towards him.

"P-p-please k-keep your distance," Jesse stammered.

Teresa's heart fell. "Jesse, it's me—nothing's changed. Except my appearance."

"I heard about this on the news," said Jesse. He draped a blanket around Teresa's shoulders. "I heard what they did. One caused an accident and another held up a store."

Teresa shut her eyes. "That's only a few cases," she said. She opened her eyes and looked at Jesse who still kept himself a good two feet from the woman. "People are scared of us. You have to understand we're not all evil."

"Do your parents know you're like this?" Jesse asked pointing at her.

Teresa nodded. "They took me to the doctor today. But I can't go home or they'll lock me up because that stupid doctor lied to them." She looked at Jesse's confused face and clarified. "She told them I attacked her when it was an accident." Teresa stared down at her claws. "These stupid things. They were so nicely manicured too." Teresa slapped her hands against her legs.

"But they've all gone crazy, right?" Jesse asked stepping in front of the door. "The creatures. They've been put in mental hospitals."

Teresa's eyes widened. "I'm not crazy, Jesse. I won't go crazy."

"But you're just like them," Jesse replied. "You'll go crazy too."

"I swear I won't," Teresa pleaded. "Please, I need to know you'll help me, Jesse."

"Help you how?"

"Just stay by my side," Teresa begged. She sat down on her knees. "I need to know who I can trust." Her eyes were on the verge of spilling tears. "Please, Jesse, tell me you still love me."

"Teresa," Jesse softly spoke. Teresa shuddered that name. It had been so long since he called her by her first name. "I can't."

"I'm the same girl you knew before," Teresa replied.

Jesse shook his head.

Teresa jumped up and grasped onto Jesse's arm. Her eyes now poured. "Jesse, how can you say you don't love me anymore? Just two days ago I was all you wanted."

"That was before!" Jesse yelled pushing her off.

Teresa fell on her hip.

"Jesse," she sobbed.

"I can't love you, Teresa, you're not even Teresa anymore."

"But I—"

"You're a freak!" Jesse screamed. "I said it! I can't love someone who's not human! You're a freak! A freak! A freak!" He grabbed Teresa's arm and tossed her against the wall by the window. "Get out of my room! I don't want to see you anymore!"

"But Jesse," Teresa protested.

"I said get out!" shouted Jesse. He picked her up and tried pushing her out the window. Teresa fought against him. Feathers floated around the two. Jesse finally managed to push her out the window. Teresa's wings caught her before she plummeted to her death. Jesse shut the window and locked it up tight. His eyes met with the tearstained ones of Teresa. He turned from her.

"Let me in, Jesse!" she called. "I know you still love me."

"Go away," he growled.

"How can you say you don't love me?" Teresa cried.

Jesse's back arched. He turned around to see Teresa hovering outside his bedroom window. He walked back towards the glass. A smile tried to form on Teresa's reddened face. Jesse reached out his arm. Teresa's heart momentarily stopped. Jesse gripped the curtain and yanked it shut.

Teresa hovered in silence for a few seconds. She wailed and banged on the window. She considered breaking through the glass. Maybe if he saw how much she was still willing to bleed for him he would reconsider his decision.

"Jesse!" she called. "How can you throw our love away! Jesse!" She called his name a few more times until she saw the light turn off. Teresa wept into her hands and flew back towards her new hideout with the only people in the city she could trust.

* * *

Luke walked back to the house. He reached the apartment after Teresa had left, thinking she had yet to arrive. He figured she got lost on her way over and waited for nearly twenty minutes. There were people across the street who caught onto his presence and began speaking. He thought he saw one of them pull out a cell phone and decided he should get out of there before the cops came looking for him.

He passed through the tunnel hoping his new friend returned home safely. He passed by the vacant lot and happened to glance in its direction. There sitting on the swing was a woman with bird wings. She looked down at her lap. He heard soft sobs coming from her mouth and witnessed her wiping at her eye.

Luke made his way over to Teresa. He called out her name so as not to frighten or embarrass her. Teresa glanced up then looked back down.

Luke leaned against the pole closest to the swing.

"Everything alright?" Luke asked.

Teresa shook her head and sobbed louder.

"You didn't find it?" he asked.

Teresa stepped off the swing and laid down on the cold ground in the fetal position. Luke sat down next to her and put a hand on her shoulder. He saw the bracelet against her wrist.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Teresa pulled herself against him.

"You can trust me," he whispered and stroked her hair.

Teresa looked up at his brown eyes. They were the sincerest pair of eyes she ever saw. She leaned against him and said, "I found my bracelet and went to see my boyfriend." Luke rubbed her back as she spoke. "When he saw me he said he didn't want anything to do with me anymore." Teresa fell back into tears.

"I'm sorry," Luke spoke.

Teresa grasped Luke's shirt and buried her head in his chest.

"If anything he doesn't deserve you," Luke said. Teresa glanced up at him. Luke continued, "You deserve someone better who will treat you well."

"But I'm a freak. He said so."

"You're not a freak," Luke said.

Teresa wiped her nose. "Look at me."

"I am," Luke said softly. "And you know what I see?"

"A freak," Teresa answered as two tears fell down her cheeks.

Luke wiped them away with his thumbs and said, "No, I see a beautiful woman who needs a boyfriend who's not such a jerkface."

Teresa smiled if only for a second.

Luke took comfort in that brief smile. He helped Teresa to her feet. The two walked in silence back to Damien's house. Teresa leaned against Luke for most of the journey. Little did they know they were being watched from someone on the other side of the fence. He cackled as he watched them vanish down the street.

Damien waited outside listening to the crickets serenade the yard. His sharp eyes caught the two heading back and he promptly put on the shades. Luke helped Teresa up the stairs one step at a time.

"Hey, man, everything okay?" Damien asked.

Luke replied with a look that answered the opposite of what Damien hoped. Luke lead Teresa in the house. Damien followed after them locking the door.

"Thank you, Luke," Teresa whispered.

"Maybe you should get some sleep," Luke suggested.

Teresa nodded then fell to her knees.

Damien pushed Luke gently aside and knelt down beside the birdwoman. He lifted her chin to meet his face. Teresa shivered from his touch. She knew what kind of eyes were staring from behind those glasses and it was an image she wanted to erase from her mind.

"I've got a spare room in the back," he said kindly. He turned to Luke then said, "I'm afraid I only got one."

Luke shrugged. "That's fine, I can sleep on the couch."

"Thanks for being so kind to me," Teresa stated.

Damien smiled. His handsome smile caused Teresa to smile against her breaking heart.

"And thanks for giving me a place to stay," said Teresa.

"Stay as long as you like," Damien offered. He pointed to Luke then said, "My home is well-known in the Dakota underground."

"He houses runaways and fugitives," Luke replied. He put a hand on Damien's shoulder. "And people in need like me." Damien and Luke pounded fists. "Thanks for being a good friend."

"Don't worry, the cops know nothing 'bout this place," Damien said. Those words somewhat comforted Teresa's nerves.

"They don't yet," a strange voice said from behind them.

Damien whipped around with clenched fists. Luke motioned for Teresa to stay down. Teresa tucked her legs into her stomach. For some reason she recognized that voice from somewhere, but feared where. The bass toned sounded like a villain from a nightmare.

Damien surveyed the entire room without any success of finding the culprit. He kept the room lit with electrical lighting in the evening compared to the day when candles lined the room. There were still a few burning on the mantle. Luke stepped forward and eyed the door. The deadbolt was locked tight. Luke swallowed. The only explanation left was that someone snuck in before they did.

The shadows on the floor suddenly moved making Teresa shriek and Luke fall back. He soon regained his footing and stood up beside Damien. The three watched the shadow form into the figure of a man. The shadow's vacant eyes met with each person in the room.

"It's a demon," Damien whispered.

"I'm not a demon, just one of you," the shadow replied.

"You're a meta-human?" Luke asked.

The figure nodded.

"What do you want?" Damien asked. "How'd you get in my house?"

The creature laughed. "I'm a shadow master, I can travel anywhere I want." He smirked at Teresa. "The beauty will tell you we met earlier."

"You're the one who attacked me at the hospital," Teresa said standing up. "Who are you?"

The shadow's legs finally separated from the floor. He stepped forward making everyone else retreat.

"My name's Ebon," he said.

"What do you want?" Damien asked.

Ebon's eyes met with Teresa's. She found herself staring speechless at his face. "You want to tell him, sweetheart?"

"What? I don't even know you. Please just leave me alone!" Teresa cried.

"You better leave her alone," Luke threatened with a cracking voice.

Ebon stepped towards the scrawny boy. "Or you'll do what, rodent?" Ebon pushed Luke into Teresa and the two fell down.

"Luke, don't do anything," Damien ordered.

"Yes, Luke, learn your place," Ebon said with a laugh.

Luke growled. He helped Teresa stand and kept himself in front of her.

"I don't know what you want from me," Teresa said.

Ebon pushed Luke out of the way and stopped just a foot from Teresa. "I'm here to help," Ebon stated. "I know what happened to you at the hospital. And I heard what you told Ratboy here just outside." He paused, ignoring the growl from Luke. He then said with a smirk, "About your boyfriend."

Teresa gasped.

Ebon chuckled then turned to face the other two. "I'm here to help all of you."

"How can you help us?" Damien asked.

"I'm gathering all the bang babies, that's what they're calling us," Ebon replied. "I'm taking them to a safe refuge." He placed a hand on Luke and Damien's shoulders. "We'll come together and take over this city."

"Why would we do that?" Luke asked.

"They're trying to get rid of us," Ebon stated. "Ask little Birdie here. Whether it's jail, a looney bin, or casting us out of town, they want to get rid of us. There's no cure. And by the time they find one we'll all be on medication or killed. I say we come together and take back Dakota."

The two looked at each other before returning their attention to Ebon.

"I'm trying to bring all the freaks together and we can get revenge on this town. If they want to be scared of us, I say we give them a reason."

"What about our families?" Teresa asked.

"The same family that threw you out?" Ebon asked.

"They didn't throw me out," Teresa retorted. "I ran away. I probably shouldn't have. I bet they're worried about me." She dashed by the guys. "I should go see them now."

Ebon sunk into the floor and rose up just in front of Teresa. She screamed and backed up. Ebon cackled then pushed her forward.

"You don't really have a choice," Ebon replied. "You either join me or fight me. But I think you'll be great for my gang." He looked at Teresa. "You especially, Birdie."

Teresa glanced down at her bracelet. It was now a useless piece of junk that decorated her wrist. Those who once treated her with reverence and love turned against her in less than a day. There were already people out looking for her. The authorities would never believe her side of the story with a credible source such as Dr. Border testifying against her. The jury would vote in favor of the doctor merely out of fear. She would spend the rest of her teenage years either behind bars or locked up in a padded room. Neither choice sounded appealing.

"I don't know," Damien replied.

Ebon laughed. "I'll give you time to think about it. But if you don't join me you better never turn against me." He looked at Luke. "That goes for you too, Ferret." Ebon moved towards Teresa and put a hand under her face. "What do you say, Talon?"

Talon, for some reason that nickname sounded perfect to her. She was no longer the Teresa who her friends and family proudly called at one time. It only seemed right that she go by a different name and her own imagination lacked any information about birds. She considered the name Harpy, but decided against it for fear she would lose her humanity if she took on that name. Now that she thought about it, how much longer did she have until the madness took her? There were several in Dakota who no longer considered the meta-humans to be human beings any longer. It mattered not to Teresa, the woman she once was had been destroyed and a monster left in her place. She decided at that moment to take on the name Ebon selected for her.

"I like that name, Talon," she spoke.

Ebon chuckled. "Talon it is. Tell me, Talon, what's your verdict?"

"I don't..." Talon began.

Ebon interrupted, "You can never go back to what you were."

Talon looked over at the guys whose faces displaced their lacked a decision.

Talon took one more look at the bracelet and her teeth clenched. Her angry eyes rose to meet the shadow man. Her voice said in a growl, "Count me in."


	11. Truth

Thank you Shadowfox Snowblitz for reviewing the previous chapter.

At long last this is the end. I did not mean for this story to be this long, but in all I think it worked out nicely. I thank everyone who has taken the time to read and even more thanks to those who reviewed. I really appreciate your comments.

I've written one other Ferret/Talon story (Sweet Sixteen) and if you guys want I can always write more. Whether it is romance or simple friendship I can do either one. Talon always seemed to have some kind of respect for Ferret and vice versa, so they make interesting characters to write about. Anyway, on with the story.

Hope you enjoy!

* * *

Talon watched the flames dispose of the remaining memories. She lifted her face and turned her eyes towards Ferret. The rodent-faced boy found himself unable to remove his gaze from the woman so dear to him. The one female who remained a true friend to him throughout the past two years. She was the only one brave enough to stand up against both Hyde and Ebon for him. Kangor had no problem sticking up for him against everyone else, but Ferret knew his friend feared the two of them just as much as he.

Ferret knew it was only a matter of time before one of the other guys came to check on them. Either that or they would harbor news of Ebon's next plan. Talon was in no mood to go anywhere and for the first time since the transformation Ferret was willing to stand up for her.

He put his hand on Talon's shoulder. She leaned her face up against him. Ferret watched her close her eyelids and a tear slid down her face. Talon was known to the outsiders to be strong. She never let anyone see her sweat. More importantly she never let her teammates see her cry. Ferret was the only one unlucky enough to have that privilege. Ferret felt his chest tighten along with his fists. He let his fingers stroke Talon's back. Ferret knew in the back of his mind it was that jerk Jesse who caused all this self-doubt. Ferret wondered why Talon listened to his eternal voice. At least he knew for a fact that the youth could never harm her again. He smirked as he thought of the first and last time he ever met the boy by the name of Jesse.

* * *

It was after one of their heists. Talon had the bag of jewels in her talons and she leapt up, spread her wings, and roared at the policemen. They dropped their guns and fell to their knees with their hands covering their ears. Talon snickered then flew off. Ebon vanished into the tarmac taking Kangor and Ferret with him. The four appeared at a downtown location. They ran inside before anyone located their sat down on the floor counting their bounty. Talon slid the diamond ring over her deformed finger. She hated the way she had to force the band down. She ripped it off and slung it against the wall. Talon let herself lie down on the filthy floor. Ferret sat down on one side of her and Kangor on the other. Talon turned over on her side to face Ferret. She gave him a false smile to ease his worries. Ferret had the ability to see through that mask.

"What's wrong?" Ferret asked.

Talon shook her head. "Just need some fresh air."

Ferret nodded and helped his friend to her feet. The two stepped outside the building and walked through the alleys. None were brave enough to take to the streets when the cops and Static were on the lookout for them. Talon's arms were crossed to keep out the cold. Ferret walked in synchrony with Talon's strides. Though she could fly the birdwoman preferred to walk when permitted to.

They reached the end of the alleyway and Talon looked up with a gasp. Ferret looked straight ahead and clenched his fists to face whoever meant them harm. Usually he ran for cover, but with Talon beside him he would give his own life to protect her. Ferret gaped at the normal human before him. The strange boy stared at Talon for a few seconds. A young girl with straight, blonde hair hanging about her shoulders ran up to him.

"Jesse, what's wrong?" she asked.

Talon recognized the girl. Her name was Hannah and she used to be one of her friends. Jesse shook his head and locked arms with Hannah.

"Nothing, baby," Jesse replied. "How 'bout we get something to eat."

"Sounds great!" Hannah exclaimed. She tightened her grip on Jesse's arm and leaned her head on his bicep. "I don't know why it took you so long to go out with me." Talon's heart dropped. Did the bimbo not realize she was standing right there?

"Me neither," Jesse responded. "Not like anything important was holding me back."

"Jesse?" Ferret repeated as he racked his brain trying to figure out why that name sounded so familiar. It suddenly clicked. "That can't be…" Ferret began. He looked up at Talon to ask if that boy was the same she once belonged to. The tears forming in Talon's eyes answered that question. Her eyes were locked on the new couple vanishing from her vision. Streams of tears fell from Talon's cheeks. Her reddened face lowered to the ground.

Ferret put his hand on Talon's arm.

"Let's just go," Talon whispered. "I've had enough air."

Ferret nodded. He wrapped his arm around Talon's shoulder. He looked behind him to watch the smug teen smiling at the giggling idiot.

Later that night Ferret watched Talon silently cry herself to sleep. He found a blanket laying in one of the closets and covered the woman's body. She stopped shivering, but the tears still stuck to her face. Ferret brushed his hand over Talon's bare forehead. His blood boiled. He snatched the coat hanging on one of doorknobs and made his way out into the frigid air.

Ferret roamed the streets of Dakota tracking the boy's scent. After an hour of searching he finally came across the two youths. Jesse had his tongue down Hannah's throat. The girl caressed every inch of Jesse's torso. Ferret's eyes narrowed and he ground his teeth.

Ferret silently snuck up behind the green park bench the two sat upon. He listened to them moaning in each other's company. Those passing by sneered and shouted out the necessity for the two to get a room. The teenagers found those comments to only aid their amusement. When their mouths finally parted Hannah leaned her back against the bench. Her fingers brushed over the side and stroked Ferret's oily hair. She took a glimpse in that direction to find the bang baby smirking at her. Hannah screamed as she jumped up, clutching onto Jesse. Jesse stood looking around while Hannah hid behind him. Jesse's eyes finally came in contact with the creature.

"What the—" was all Jesse managed to get out.

"Help!" Hannah shouted.

Those standing by saw the meta-human and began running for their lives. Although most of them knew Ferret was not one of the more powerful ones they were not willing to take their chances with a member of the Meta Breed at night.

"What do you want? My money?" Jesse cried reaching for his wallet.

Ferret shook his head. "No loverboy, I wouldn't touch your rotten cash."

Hannah whimpered.

Ferret glanced over at the blonde. He nodded with a smirk. "Get out of here, sweetheart." His smile faded and he met Jesse with a glare. "My business is with this jackass."

Hannah wasted no time with her escape. Jesse called after her. Ferret's creepy laugh caused the sweating boy to slowly return his gaze towards him.

Jesse watched the creature for a few seconds. His legs trembled. After taking a quick breath Jesse made a run for it. Ferret cackled and shook his head. His long legs chased after the screaming teen. He dashed down a dead end. Jesse tried to climb the steel fence and fell back down, scraping his palm. The boy saw the looming shadow coming his way. Jesse let out a shriek and sharply turned around. He fell to his knees as the meta-human closed in.

"Please," Jesse cried. "I never did anything to you."

Ferret shook his head. He grabbed hold of Jesse's shirt.

"Please, I'm a good guy, I'd never hurt anyone," Jesse voice trembled in an octave higher than normal.

Ferret tossed Jesse to the ground. Jesse cried out in pain. The second he looked up Ferret decked him in the face. Jesse fell down on his back. Ferret hovered over the boy. He spit in Jesse's face. Jesse coughed then wiped away the bubbling substance.

"What did I do?" Jesse asked with wide eyes.

Ferret growled. "You had yourself a good girl." Ferret kicked Jesse in the shin. The boy yelled. Ferret clenched his fists. "You let her go because she wasn't the perfect little girlfriend for you anymore." Ferret spit on him again. He pointed at Jesse. "I'll have you know she doesn't deserve a little worm like you!"

Jesse's eyes widened more than they already were the second he realized the rodent standing above him was the same creature he saw in Teresa's company earlier that day. Ferret's usually calm and timid manner left him.

"You made one awful mistake, boy," Ferret said with an evil laugh. Jesse pulled himself into a sitting position. He screamed when Ferret's eyes became serious. Ferret unclenched his fists and extended his claws. He laughed as he walked towards Jesse.

About twenty seconds later Ferret walked away with blood streaming down his fingers. His eyes met the two superteens. Both the electric weilder and gadget man stared with gaping mouths. Neither one of them dared speak for fear they would vomit.

Ferret stopped in line with Static. "You want me?" he whispered. Static's eyes slowly met up with Ferret's frightening smirk. "Here I am." He nodded in the direction of Jesse. "Justice has been served." Ferret turned around to face the two. "Do what you want."

Gear's shaking hand lowered into his pocket. His arm quivered as he lifted the zap cap above his head. He reared back, almost dropping the device in the process, and tossed it towards the meta-human. The metal cased ropes encircled Ferret's arms and legs. Static swallowed then picked up his shock box to call Ferret in to the authorities.

* * *

Talon noticed the evil smirk on Ferret's face. She shook her head, not entirely sure she wanted to know. She heard about Jesse's horrid fate on the news the next morning. The report followed showing Ferret's mug shot. Talon did not even have to hear the accusation Ferret pled guilty to. She brought her folded hands to her lips and silently thanked her friend.

Talon found the emptiness in her heart warm. She entwined her fingers with Ferret's. Ferret looked down at the lovely woman in front of him. Despite what she thought Ferret always admitted aloud to anyone who asked that he thought Talon was the most beautiful of all the bang babies. Sure it was a possibility his close friendship with her gave him a bias, but it made no difference to him.

"Thanks," Talon whispered. She leaned into Ferret's embrace. "I don't know how I would've got along all this time if it wasn't for you." She looked into his inviting eyes. "You're a really good friend, Luke. Don't you forget that."

Ferret smiled. He placed his hands on Talon's clammy cheeks. She lowered her gaze to the floor. Ferret placed his chin on Talon's head.

"You know mirrors lie," Ferret said. Talon looked up at him. "You are beautiful, Teresa." Teresa's cheeks blushed. "And you always will be."

Talon smiled and leaned against Ferret's chest. She forgot about the other meta-humans and in all honesty could care less if she ever saw another living being again. The fireplace fell second to the warmth of Ferret's arms, a heat he supplied with his heart. Talon closed her eyes and slowly forgot the reason for her sorrow.

* * *

The end. Thanks again for reading. Hope you all have a wonderful week!


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